Despite a commendable start last year, it was evident that things weren’t hunky-dory at the Eagles camp. After starting the season 10-1, their performances took a nosedive, leading to a playoff elimination in the Wildcard Round. Back then, speculations were rife that a part of the reason for Philly’s downfall was the deteriorating relationship between Jalen Hurts and HC Nick Sirianni. Thanks to senior NFL insider Dianna Rusinni, we now have confirmation of these rumors.
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In the latest edition of “Scoop City”, The Athletic’s senior NFL correspondent revealed that, despite the Eagles winning 10 games last season, each victory was jarringly painful. As per Rusinni, a key component behind the Eagles’ struggle was the “disconnect” between the QB and the HC.
“Last year there was some disconnect between them in their personalities. Nick, we’ve seen, is a very emotional guy… Jaylen is a very private guy. They are different human beings.”
The NFL insider also revealed that due to the difference in personalities and individual philosophies, the duo share a far-from-ideal relationship. Sadly, the differences still exist, and thus, she termed their chemistry a “work in progress.”
“We’ve seen Jaylen on the sideline with Nick and it never looked like they were going at one another, but you could tell that there was definitely a difference in personality. So the way I would describe it is it’s a relationship that’s a work in progress.”
While it’s completely fine for two individuals to not be on the same page, such things cannot be afforded in a professional capacity. Unfortunately for Eagles fans, the QB-HC relationship was also strained from a professional standpoint, which further increased the tension between the two.
“Nick Just Wanted to Do It His Way”: Rusinni Reveals What Went Wrong for the Eagles
Before joining the Eagles, head coach Nick Sirianni served as the offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts. Naturally, he was inclined to exert control and have his say on the offensive side of the game. However, QB Jalen Hurts wasn’t a fan of his head coach also taking on the role of offensive coordinator.
According to Rusinni, Hurts shared a stellar relationship with Brian Johnson [currently with the Commanders]. It was under Brian’s regime when the Eagles went to Super Bowl LVII.
So, when Johnson was fired and Sirianni began running the offense autonomously, it left Hurts disappointed. Additionally, Rusinni revealed that sources close to the Eagles indicated that Nick preferred to do everything his way. Furthermore, Nick’s natural instinct to be a conservative play-caller didn’t impress Hurts, who is a dynamic dual-threat playmaker.
“From just having a few discussions with people in Philadelphia, it just seems that Nick just wanted to do it his way.”
That said, Hurts is completely justified in being somewhat apprehensive of his HC due to two main actions — firing Brian Johnson, who had immense success with the team, and micromanaging every aspect of the game.
Despite the differences, the fact that the Eagles managed to have a strong start last season is a testament to their quality. The sooner the QB-HC relationship improves in Philadelphia, the better the days will be for the Eagles faithful.
