Jalen Hurts Asked Former Division Rival for Advice This Offseason

Philadelphia Eagles fans know there were many issues that plagued the team in 2023, causing a much weaker performance than expected. One of those was the lack of connection between the players and coaching staff, with head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts reportedly not being on the same page often this past year.

Everyone has moved on from that forgettable campaign, but new details continue to emerge. The latest centers on Hurts seeking out an expected advisor this offseason.

In a story published by ESPN's Tim McManus, he reports Hurts called former New York Giants defensive coordinator Wink Martindale to discuss how an opposing unit gameplans for him and how they attack Philadelphia's protection.

Martindale himself was shocked by the outreach, telling McManus it was the "first" time in 40 years coaching he'd ever had a rival QB ask for advice. Yet it also impressed the veteran defensive mind, who thought it was "cool" the young leader was "looking at every angle that he can to get better."

As a player with enormous expectations for himself, Hurts should exhaust every resource available to him. Considering the Eagles' coaches at the time weren't helping and Martindale had already parted ways with the Giants, there was no harm in phoning the experienced coordinator up.

This does reflect poorly on Philly, however, and Sirianni, who clearly let his rising QB down after a prolific 2022 season. He at least acknowledged those hiring mistakes last offseason by firing both Sean Desai and Ben Johnson ahead of the 2024 campaign.

There will be a ton of attention on how Hurts plays under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore and what impact Sirianni has in a more CEO role this year. If these massive changes don't pay off, Howie Roseman will be forced to bring in someone else who can get the most out of one of the league's very best signal-callers.

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