Getty Head coach Nick Sirianni and QB Jalen Hurts enjoy a moment together at the Eagles-Lions season opener.
Previous reports of an injury to Jalen Hurts’ throwing shoulder turned out to be true. Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback is dealing with a sprained shoulder but it’s not considered a long-term issue.
Head coach Nick Sirianni appeared on Audacy’s SportsRadio 94WIP on Tuesday morning to update the situation. No one appears panicked about the minor setback.
“He’s attacking his rehab right now,” Sirianni told Angelo Cataldi. “We’ll see what happens this week. It’s not something we deem to be long-term but we’ll see how it goes this week and see what happens this week and if he’ll be able to go at Dallas.”
Sirianni confirmed that Hurts was injured on a running play late in the third quarter when Bears defensive end Trevin Gipson landed awkwardly on his right shoulder. Hurts stayed in the game.
“He just went about his business and played through it,” Sirianni said. “That’s toughness.”
Big decisions facing Eagles in weeks ahead.
They need just one win OR one loss by DAL, SF, MIN to lock up No. 1 seed.
Realistic scenario where they will have option of resting Hurts until playoffs.
But that would mean starting a QB in the div. round off of a 5-week break.
As far as the plan at quarterback moving forward, it appears as if Gardner Minshew II will draw the start on Christmas Eve in Dallas. Sirianni wouldn’t rule out Hurts playing against the Cowboys, but it seems highly unlikely with the Eagles preparing for what they hope is a lengthy playoff run. There are multiple scenarios where they can lock up the NFC’s No. 1 overall seed whether they beat Dallas or not.
“If he has to go, we’ll have 100 percent confidence in him because he can ball,” Sirianni said of Minshew. “He’s a winner and that’s all he knows how to do.”
This is the play Hurts was injured on in the third quarter.
It is not expected to be a long-term injury, per league source.
Chris Simms: Eagles ‘Really Damn Good’ with Gardner Minshew
Pro Football Talk’s Chris Simms has never been a huge believer in Hurts, so it was no surprise to hear him downplay the MVP candidate’s worth during a recent segment. He said the Eagles would still be “really damn good” with Minshew under center — and that was days before the injury to Hurts.
We’re about to find out if Micah Parsons, Chris Simms and the rest of you Jalen Hurts haters are right about this Eagles team.
I saw a lot of “the Eagles would be 13-1 with Gardner Minshew”
In fact, Simms believes Hurts is simply a product of the system which echoes Micah Parsons’ comments. This is how Simms explained it during a recent back-and-forth with Mike Florio:
It’s an incredible system that that coach has never even run before but they had to run it because they couldn’t run their system with Jalen Hurts. It’s the best offensive line in football. It’s the best defensive line in football. I mean – if it’s not for the 49ers, it’s the best defense in football. It’s the best rushing attack in football. It’s arguably the best duo at receiver not named [Jaylen] Waddle and Tyreek Hill in football. And it’s not that far off from them. It’s a really good tight end in Dallas Goedert when he’s out there.
So this is one of those where it feels like it’s setting up where the quarterback of the best team is going to win the MVP, and I would go, there’s just no way he’s more valuable to his team than [Patrick] Mahomes, [Josh] Allen, or [Joe] Burrow, no way. Those teams are not the same teams if they don’t have them at quarterback, whereas I go, if you put Gardner Minshew in on the Eagles they’d still be really damn good.
Chris Simms on Hurts: “There’s just no way he’s more valuable than Mahomes, Allen, or Burrow, no way. If Minshew is in, the Eagles are still damn good. I’m sorry.” 😳
Eagles Activate Dallas Goedert to 53-Man Roster
Dallas Goedert has been activated to the Eagles’ 53-man roster. The starting tight end is expected to start on Saturday night for a pivotal road matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Goedert has been out since November 14 when he hurt his shoulder on a controversial non-facemask call. He has 43 receptions for 544 yards and 3 touchdowns in 9 games this season, plus amazing chemistry with backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. Philadelphia remains dangerous.