Shannon Sharpe didn’t hold back on Jalen Hurts after watching his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, suffer a 24-21 loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
TV host Sharpe publicly argued that the organization lacks full faith in their quarterback Hurts, a critique that has reignited debate over the team’s offensive direction.
According to reports relaying Sharpe‘s remarks, he said: “I don’t care what they say, they don’t [trust Jalen Hurts],” Sharpe said.
“There are not a whole lot of people that have a quarterback that’s won a Super Bowl MVP, that on 2nd & 17, they are handing the ball off. They are going to throw the ball.
“Now I got a manageable third down. I get all they’re saying, [Nick] Sirianni is gonna say all this stuff and I get all of that. But they don’t trust him like they should trust him as a guy that started damn near his entire career in the NFL.”
“He came in as a backup. He got the starting job and he hasn’t relinquished it. He’s gone to the playoffs. He’s been to two Super Bowls. He’s won one and he’s won a league and he won a Super Bowl MVP. They don’t trust him like they should.”
Sharpe’s anger shared by fans
The blunt assessment from Sharpe highlights a growing narrative amongst the fans that the Philadelphia Eagles‘ decision-making has sometimes failed to align with the strengths of Jalen Hurts.
The controversy centers on late-game play-calling and whether the coaching staff truly empowers Hurts to win.
Sharpe argued that hesitation to fully lean on Hurts in critical moments reveals a lack of institutional trust – a charge that strikes at the heart of how teams construct game plans around their quarterbacks.
Analysts across the industry have picked up the thread. Some suggest that conservative calls and predictable sequences in the fourth quarter have limited Hurts‘ ability to make game-changing plays.
Others counter that the problems stem from his execution, rather than philosophy. This includes missed blocks, dropped passes, and costly penalties have all contributed to late collapses.
Hurts, Sirianni take their share of blame
After the narrow defeat, Hurts spoke to reporters with a cool head. Hurts said: “We’ve got to find a way to finish the game and find some consistency in what we do.” He added: “We didn’t play a complete game as a team.”
Head coach Sirianni accepted responsibility for the loss and emphasized adjustment. “When there’s the amount of mistakes that we had, I’ve got to make sure my message is getting through.”
Sirianni framed the setback as a coaching and execution failure that requires internal correction rather than public finger-pointing. Still, Sharpe‘s critique reverberates because it speaks directly to leadership and culture.
For Sharpe, trust must be visible in decision-making and in how a team rallies around its franchise signal-caller. Without that visible commitment, he argues, even a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback can be hamstrung.
For the Philadelphia Eagles, the immediate task is obvious in that they can correct mistakes, clarify roles, and stabilize the offense.
For Jalen Hurts, it is equally straightforward. The quarterback is one of the best dual-threat passers in the league and, if he delivers consistent performances, those questions will fade.
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