There’s a growing push for the Philadelphia Eagles to trade Jalen Hurts, an idea that once felt unthinkable but now lingers in the background after Philadelphia‘s abrupt playoff exit.
The Eagles entered the postseason believing another Super Bowl run was within reach. Instead, a 23-19 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers ended their season early and opened the door to a familiar Philadelphia ritual: reassessing everything, including the quarterback.
Hurts, just a year removed from leading the franchise to a Super Bowl 59 title, delivered a muted performance in the Wild Card round. He completed 20 of 35 passes for 168 yards and a touchdown, but the offense sputtered throughout the night.
The final drive captured the frustration. Facing fourth down from the 49ers‘ 21-yard line with 43 seconds remaining, Hurts‘ pass intended for Dallas Goedert fell incomplete, turning the ball over and effectively sealing the Eagles‘ fate.
The result sparked immediate reaction. Some fans quickly turned their anger toward head coach Nick Sirianni. Others went further, floating blockbuster trade scenarios involving Hurts himself, a dramatic response that reflects how thin the margin for patience can be in Philadelphia.
The Eagles‘ offensive inconsistencies were not new. They lingered through stretches of the regular season and resurfaced at the worst possible moment.
While Hurts connected with Goedert for a short touchdown in the second quarter, Philadelphia struggled to sustain drives and failed to capitalize on scoring opportunities.
That has fueled the perception among critics that the roster is good enough to demand more. Social media quickly filled with trade hypotheticals and comparisons to other elite quarterbacks, including calls for radical shakeups that would have been dismissed outright months ago.
Yet those reactions overlook the larger body of work. Hurts finished the regular season with 3,224 passing yards, a 25-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and 421 rushing yards with eight scores on the ground.
Since becoming the full-time starter, he owns a 6-4 playoff record and has already delivered the franchise’s second Lombardi Trophy.
Why the speculation exists anyway
So why does the trade chatter persist? Expectations. Philadelphia has built a roster designed to contend every season, and when that standard is not met, the quarterback inevitably becomes the focal point.
Fair or not, Hurts now occupies that space, judged not against the league average but against championship-level results every January.
From an organizational perspective, the idea of moving Hurts remains highly unlikely.
He is under contract through the 2028 season after signing a five-year, $255 million extension in April 2023, and there has been no indication the front office views him as anything other than the centerpiece of the franchise.
More realistic changes would likely come around him. That could mean adjustments to the coaching staff, schematic tweaks on offense, or personnel moves aimed at restoring the unit’s explosiveness and consistency.
For now, the conversation says more about the Eagles‘ ambition than Hurts‘ standing. He helped set the bar by winning a Super Bowl. In Philadelphia, that success ensures the scrutiny never fades.
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