There is something about how former NFL quarterback Chris Simms talks about football that rubs people the wrong way. There just is.
But, if you can get past how he says things and focus on what he’s saying, it’s hard to deny that Simms, the son of former Super Bowl MVP quarterback Phil Simms, knows what he’s talking about.
It’s also hard to deny that Simms really doesn’t care much for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, whom he dropped to No. 21 in his annual NFL QB rankings on Tuesday. Simms had Hurts at No. 10 in his 2025 rankings following a Super Bowl win and Super Bowl MVP honors in 2024.
Hurts and the Eagles flamed out in 2025 with an NFC Wild Card home loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
“To me, (Hurts) is one of the biggest issues in all of football,” Chris Simms said. “The quarterback, the highest-paid guy on the team, won’t do what the coaches say to do, won’t do what the play says to do, and won’t do what the defense says the play should do. And that’s a problem. He knows how to play; there’s no doubt, he’s still a great athlete, he’s tough, there’s no doubt about that. He still throws a really good deep ball. I just came away actually watching (film), going ‘Damn, it’s worse than I remembered’ … there are people open everywhere, and we’re not throwing it. It’s not even close; it was the worst year of quarterbacking from Jalen Hurts I’ve seen in the last few years.
“I know he’s a winner, but I mean damn, everybody won at Alabama and Oklahoma, and most people would win on this Philadelphia team too, so I’m sick of hearing that crap.”
Simms Has Taken Shots at Jalen Hurts in Past
It’s not the 1st time Hurts has drawn fire from Simms, who played 8 seasons for 4 different teams from 2003 to 2010.
After 2 consecutive losses by the Eagles last season, Simms took a shot at Hurts before a Week 14 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Everybody’s blaming the coaches and the blame deserves to be on the quarterback, and that’s it,” Simms said on the “This is Football With Kevin Clark” podcast on December 4. ” … there’s a lot of unhappiness in the organization about the quarterback. Teams have found the formula to go wait, we cannot be steamrolled by the biggest, most powerful offensive line in football. We can figure out ways to stop the run because the pass game is so simple and there’s certain plays and throws that the quarterback just won’t throw.”
Simms’ Post-NFL Career: Evaluating, Dissing QBs
Simms has made a post-football career of being a pretty astute observer of quarterback play — sometimes in an abrasive way.
In 2018, he put 2-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the top of his pre-draft quarterback rankings. In 2023, he put Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud ahead of Carolina Panthers quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young.
“The annual edition of Chris Simms hating on Jalen Hurts has arrived,” The Philly Pod’s Victor Williams wrote on his official X account on May 26.
“Chris Simms is a disgrace,” Eagles fan Jon Finance wrote on X. “A terrible pro QB and an even worse broadcaster. I have no idea why he’s even still on the air. Tell you what, Chris Simms, as an Eagles fan, there’s literally no other QB I’d want leading our team. Put that in your nepo baby pipe and smoke it.”
‘Nepo Baby’ Former NFL QB Blasts Eagles Superstar Jalen Hurts