“Uncompromising”. It was the first word that came to mind after a report surfaced about players and coaches being frustrated with Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Before the season, I interviewed Birds legend and radio analyst Mike Quick. Here’s what Quick said about Hurts. “He’s uncompromising in who he is and he’s going to be that person. And if the coaches don’t like it, even if it’s some of his guys don’t like it, he’s an uncompromising, excellent leader.” Someone at NCC doesn’t like the Super Bowl MVP’s meticulous mentality. They’re not a fan of how a bona fide, perennial winner moves. He ticks off individuals who have benefited from his success but in essence, also accuses the QB of insubordination. This is all while his squad is 8-2, running away with their division, and currently the NFC’s number one seed holding head-to-head tiebreakers over all the conference’s contenders. Detroit, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, and the L.A. Rams were all losers to Philly. Yet, the sixth-year field general’s character has been questioned despite his résumé and current position in which the team currently sits. Don’t get me wrong, no QB is above critique and the offense needs some work. That being said, Hurts has earned and deserves much more respect than he has been given. Especially more than most other QBs who haven’t won a damn thing in the NFL. “He does things the right way. The way he comes to work, the way he goes about his work”, Quick added. He’s the kind of dude that you would want to have to run anything. If you have something that you really covet, this is the kind of guy that you could put in charge of.” I paraphrase a reference from the show “Raising Kanan” when Raq told her then-teenager, “You may hate my methods, but you love the results!” But around here unfortunately, it’s not if you win, it’s how you win. Perhaps there’s too much heat on first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, who has been getting grilled like slabs of ribs at a cookout on Belmont Plateau. Therefore, aim the barrel of the gun back at the QB, whom many still believe his accolades are one too many. For a quarterback who has won as much as Hurts, ‘Iggles’ fans who still haven’t gotten over replacing him with Carson Wentz would much rather take their chances with backup Tanner McKee. Some are even looking for ways to dump the 27-year-old’s contract. It is similar to the fans of James Bond 007 clutching their pearls, envisioning the spy cast as a Black man. The thought of actors like Idris Elba, Damson Idris, Aaron Pierre, or Regé-Jean Page taking over such a role would be deemed as sacrilegious. Of all people, former NFL QB and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky candidly echoed the lack of respect for Hurts. “All this dude does is literally everything that everybody begs every other QB to do or knocks them for not doing”, Orlovsky said, also referring to the 51-14 record since 2022. “We kill guys. Joe Burrow, does he win enough? Dak Prescott, does he win enough? Matthew Stafford didn’t win enough in Detroit. Josh Allen doesn’t win enough”, Orlovsky continued. “He can’t win the big game. Lamar Jackson can’t. All Hurts does is everything that we beg for those quarterbacks to do.” Winning comes in many different sizes, shapes, and packages. This fanbase, let alone society, still has such a long way to go to understand that, especially with such a spotlighted position as quarterback. And as for the ones who don’t like it down in South Philly, if Jalen Hurts is so stubborn, so insubordinate, I dare Eagles ownership and management to find a team where he would be open to waiving his no-trade clause. If not, the disrespect must cease.
https://www.phillytrib.com/sports/football/spivey-the-hurts-disrespect-must-cease/article_86c8963c-ca03-4276-b7f4-b302698069b6.html