Eagles OC working to "bridge the gap" between Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni's 'fractured' relationship: Report
It was heartbreaking when fan-favorite center Jason Kelce, then defensive stalwart Fletcher Cox, retired. But now, during the preseason, a new problem has emerged: quarterback Jalen Hurts and head coach Nick Sirianni have apparently not been liking each other.
The problem began during the previous season, but the details surrounding it have become public only now. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Tim McManus wrote on Wednesday:
"One source with direct knowledge of the dynamic described the relationship as ‘fractured' and unhealthy last season. At the root of the divide: a disconnect in offensive visions, with what a team source described as a lack of full respect for Sirianni's X's and O's chops."
But with a new coaching staff for 2024, the Eagles hope for better and stronger bonds. According to one source close to Hurts, the new offensive coordinator, Kellen Moore, can 'bridge the gap between the two.'
Brian Johnson's promotion to Eagles OC began tensions between Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni
Lying at the heart of these tensions was a change in the position of offensive coordinator.
Two days after Super Bowl LVII, Shane Steichen left to become the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He was succeeded by erstwhile-quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson, who had played under Jalen Hurts' father Averion in high school in the early 2000s.
And that, according to team sources, was where the problems began. While the two wanted an offensive evolution and more control, Nick Sirianni operated on an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach:
"When Brian got [promoted], I think he thought, 'I could do the thing that I've wanted to do.' That didn't fly as much with Nick," according to the source.
Sirianni did not have as much history with Johnson as he did with Steichen, who had been his workmate for four years at the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers.
The first signs of trouble emerged during a Week 4 win against the Washington Commanders, which went to overtime. Johnson sought a pass, but Sirianni overruled him and called for a run that ultimately failed to produce the required gain.
The breaking point would come in a loss at the Seattle Seahawks a week before Christmas. Down 17-20 with 13 seconds left, Hurts attempted to pass deep to AJ Brown but was instead intercepted by Julian Love.
A source said the play was a prime example of the quarterback unsuccessfully attempting to deviate from the norm and do "hero ball":
"What was taught was not necessarily what was relayed in the moment. He wanted to add to it, like, 'It's not quite enough, let me add to this.'"
Three more losses in four games later, including a rout at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round, Johnson was fired. His counterpart on the other side of the ball, Sean Desai, went with him. They were, respectively, replaced by Kellen Moore and Vic Fangio.