FS1 personality Nick Wright has made it abundantly clear that he’s not entirely sold on Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, despite Hurts’ previous success. Hurts was a standout MVP candidate during the 2022 season, leading the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance.
However, Wright is skeptical about whether Hurts can replicate that level of performance moving forward, especially after what he views as a decline in 2023 following the departure of offensive coordinator Shane Steichen.
In 2022, Hurts completed 66.5 percent of his passes, throwing for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also added 760 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground, showcasing his dual-threat capability. However, in the 2023 season, while Hurts’ overall production technically improved with 3,858 passing yards, 605 rushing yards, and 38 total touchdowns, his decision-making seemed to take a hit. Hurts threw 15 interceptions and fumbled the ball nine times, leading Wright to question whether his 2022 season was a true reflection of his abilities or an outlier.
“Right now, if I had to make a bet, I would bet 2022 was an aberration,” Wright stated bluntly. “I don’t expect Jalen Hurts to be able to do that again.”
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Wright’s doubts about Hurts didn’t stop there. Earlier in the week, he sparked further controversy by suggesting that Hurts’ interception-free performance in training camp might actually be a bad sign. According to Wright, it could indicate that Hurts is being overly cautious, which might limit his ability to take necessary risks during the regular season.
“I know it sounds absurd, and it sounds like I’m picking on guys, I don’t mean it,” Wright said. “It’s too few. I need a little bit in training camp of, ‘Oh, I took a chance there.’ It either means, in my opinion, either that you are being a little too cautious or this horrendous back seven from last year somehow’s got worse.”
Wright’s comments have certainly ruffled feathers among Eagles fans, who saw Hurts as the future of their franchise after his stellar 2022 campaign. With the 2024 season on the horizon, Hurts will have ample opportunity to prove his critics wrong. As the Eagles aim to build on their recent success, all eyes will be on Hurts to see if he can silence doubters like Wright and reclaim his place among the NFL’s elite quarterbacks.
The pressure is on Hurts not just to replicate his past success, but to show that he can lead the Eagles with consistency and confidence. For Wright, and perhaps others in the sports media, the jury is still out on whether Hurts can maintain the high level of play that made him one of the most exciting quarterbacks in the league just a couple of seasons ago.
This fall, Hurts will have his chance to prove that his 2022 season was no fluke, and that he is more than capable of leading the Eagles to new heights.
