Oct 26, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Eric Hartline
I say this as a member of the much-maligned sports media:
My god, you people need to take a deep breath and calm down.
After Sunday night's Eagles victory, Derrick Gunn discussed Jalen Hurts on the Seth Joyner Show, and now everyone and their mother is chiming in with their own hot take. The speculation has gotten so out of control that it's actually overshadowing Dallas Week in Philadelphia, a feat previously considered impossible. Talking heads are talking just to talk at this point.
With that said, let's get into the clip that started it all:
It appears @sethjoyner caused a stir this morning because he relayed some criticisms he heard regarding Jalen Hurts. He based that on the comments that @RealDGunn made last night during Seth’s show. Gunn states that the coaching staff and players are “extremely frustrated” with… pic.twitter.com/X80j6RC9kG
According to Gunn, the Eagles discuss concepts in practice with Hurts, but those concepts don't translate to the field, where Hurts plays "his game" regardless of what his coaches want. That frustrates the coaches and especially the players. But perhaps the most damning, and most viral, quote of all:
"I'm just basically telling you there's a lot of people in that organization that are frustrated with the quarterback situation right now. But the quarterback understands he has them over a barrel. This is almost Carson Wentz part two. They're not going to eat this kind of money yet."
Carson Wentz part two.
Let me backtrack for a second: technically, Gunn's report didn't start it all. For one, the disconnect between Hurts and his receivers has been crystal clear all season long. Two days before Gunn's report, The Athletic's Dianna Russini (who seems to be contractually obligated to talk about A.J. Brown) had this to say:
"After doing some digging and asking people inside the Eagles building, it was explained that multiple offensive players have grown frustrated with Jalen Hurts' approach this season, particularly against zone coverage. ... This isn't just Brown venting. The whole unit wants more trust, more communication and maybe a little more edge from its leader."
Again, Russini talks about Brown and the Eagles a lot for a national reporter, so her report was just another drop in the ocean.
But when Gunn – the longtime, locally trusted Eagles reporter – chimed in... that really got the ball rolling.
After Gunn made those remarks on his show, Seth Joyner doubled down on them during Monday morning's WIP Morning Show:
Seth Joyner on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts:
"I work with an Eagles' insider and we had an in-depth conversation last night on our postgame show and it seems to him that there is some consternation when it comes to Jalen. Not only in the locker room, but in the organization and that's… pic.twitter.com/vxOnNoJ2cq
Joyner pointed to Hurts' interception against the New York Giants in Week 6, when Brown was wide open on the field. He said he has it "on fact" that Hurts threw that ball to Brown "a few times" in practice, but Hurts wasn't patient enough in the game to wait for the play to develop.
Joyner also called Hurts and Brown's 4th-down incompletion against the Green Bay Packers – a play Hurts and Brown were rumored to have called themselves – "borderline insubordination."
So that's real great.
But then the very next day, another trusted Eagles beat reporter spoke out saying the opposite. Tuesday morning, Inquirer writer Jeff McLane appeared on 97.5 The Fanatic with John Kincade and Andrew Salciunas:
Jeff McLane Told Kincade & Salciunas That The Eagles Drama Is Getting Overblown@asalciunas975 @JohnKincade #eagles #nfl
📸Mitchell Leff/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/bPL91ZK9jp
McLane, who remarked that he feels that has a better handle on the Hurts situation than anyone in the media, said the drama is "nowhere near inside what it is on the outside." Apparently it hasn't risen to the level that everyone thinks it has.
Despite that, the debate went national.
ESPN's Stephen A. Smith noted Thursday that the reports of discord aren't coming from the media, they're coming directly from the Eagles players themselves. Smith lauded Hurts' winning record, but said the reason this has been a story for so long is because of "what's going on inside that Eagles locker room, that they have let out to the public."
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky took a strong pro-Hurts stance Thursday and decried the "constant attacks" against Hurts:
"What's going on with Hurts is so disingenuous and disrespectful to Jalen Hurts. ... All he does is win. All he does is be obsessed with football."@danorlovsky7 shares his thoughts on Jalen Hurts following his comments over the locker room frustrations 👀 pic.twitter.com/mP8v6Gfc9Y
Former teammates are weighing in, too. DeSean Jackson referenced the Hurts situation Wednesday while discussing the Brown situation at large:
Djax on the AJ Brown saga in Philly 👀 pic.twitter.com/grAixbHfCZ
"It's something else going on that it's not all about football. It's not all about X's and O's. I've had situationships with quarterbacks that I didn't necessarily like. And when it ain't there, it sticks out like a sore thumb."
Jason Kelce was asked if some players "might not like" playing with Hurts, and he shut that down real quick:
Jason Kelce on the idea that some players “might not like” playing with Jalen Hurts:
“I bet everybody liked winning the Super Bowl. I bet everybody likes winning football games.” pic.twitter.com/oy6ubiFxy5
Honestly? Although it's their job, I get the sense that most analysts are sick of discussing it. Most reporters are sick of having to ask about it, and most players and coaches (ahem, Sirianni) are sick of deflecting their questions. Most fans are sick of hearing about it. Hurts wins. That's what he does. It's who he is.
But as long as anonymous players and members of the organization keep talking to the media about it, it'll remain a story. Philadelphia is obviously a huge sports market, and Eagles fans want to know what's up with their franchise quarterback, so the talking heads give their takes, and those takes spiral. In reality, no one actually knows what's going on except the men in that locker room.
Despite their stalling offense, the Eagles are winning. As long as they keep winning, the rumblings of organizational discontent with Hurts will likely remain an unpleasant background buzz, like a mosquito flying around your head. Hurts and the Eagles can kill the mosquito by fixing the offense.
But if the Eagles start losing... well, buckle up for that annoying mosquito to become a wailing, obnoxious tornado siren.
