The Philadelphia Eagles are deep into their search for a new offensive coordinator, and one prominent name is officially off the table. Todd Monken, a coach who had been floated in some circles as a potential fit in Philly, is headed instead to join John Harbaugh’s staff with the New York Giants.
That’s a tough break for the Eagles, especially given Harbaugh’s roots in Philadelphia. The former Eagles assistant knows this city, this fan base, and how to build a staff.
His latest hire has already drawn praise from former Eagles players, including Hugh Douglas, who now co-hosts the morning show on 94 WIP-FM. This week, like much of Eagles Nation, Douglas has been locked into “coordinator watch.”
But the coordinator search isn’t the only storyline dominating the conversation in Philly. The other? Jalen Hurts-and the growing wave of criticism surrounding him.
Some of the recent chatter has been hard to ignore: claims that Hurts is reluctant to run, hesitant to throw over the middle, or might not respond well to a more demanding offensive coordinator. It’s the kind of talk that tends to surface when a season ends in disappointment and a franchise quarterback doesn’t meet sky-high expectations.
Enter Jason Kelce.
The longtime Eagles center-drafted in the sixth round back in 2011, behind first-rounder Danny Watkins, believe it or not-has become one of the most respected voices in the game, both for what he did on the field and for how he's transitioned into a media presence off of it. And when it comes to Hurts, Kelce isn’t buying the negative narratives.
“I don't believe that the narrative out there that Jalen Hurts can't do these things,” Kelce said during a recent appearance on 94 WIP-FM.
That’s not just a former teammate defending his quarterback. That’s a guy who spent four seasons snapping the ball to Hurts, watching him work, and seeing firsthand how he leads, how he prepares, and how he adapts.
And adaptability is the key word here.
Hurts has already played under multiple offensive coordinators in his young career. Each time, he’s adjusted.
Each time, he’s found ways to grow. That’s not to say he’s above criticism-far from it.
But the idea that he’s somehow incapable of running a complete offense or unwilling to be coached hard doesn’t square with the player we’ve seen take the field over the last few seasons.
Still, there’s no sugarcoating it: this next offensive coordinator hire is massive. It could be the defining move of the Nick Sirianni-Jalen Hurts era.
If the offense continues to sputter-if the play-calling doesn’t click, or if Hurts can’t find his rhythm-then bigger questions will have to be asked. About the quarterback.
About the head coach. About whether this version of the Eagles is built to contend.
But for now, the focus is on finding the right voice to lead this offense. Someone who can maximize Hurts’ skill set, challenge him, and bring clarity to a unit that too often looked out of sync this past season.
The Eagles have talent. They have leadership.
What they need now is direction. And the next few weeks could go a long way in determining whether this team gets back on track-or whether it’s time to rethink the foundation.