Getty Former Los Angeles Chargers QB Tyrod Taylor could be the perfect mentor to Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia.
He’s been one of the top rumored names to come into training camp and push Jalen Hurts for the starting job. Now Tyrod Taylor has gotten a huge vote of confidence from a former All-Pro linebacker and core special-teams player for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Ike Reese, a sports talker on SportsRadio 94WIP, took to Twitter to make his feelings known on the subject. He offered that Taylor would be the perfect mentor to Hurts due to his relationship with new offensive coordinator Shane Steichen. The two men worked together in 2019 and 2020 as members of the Los Angeles Chargers organization.
Taylor was primarily a backup quarterback there (it’s kind of a complicated story) but played in 10 games in two seasons and won his lone start. He earned an affordable $6 million in guaranteed money in 2020.
@Ike58Reese Great minds think alike. Been saying this for a minute. Ty would be perfect in so many ways.
Taylor actually won the starting job last year at Chargers training camp, then had his lung accidentally punctured by a team doctor prior to kickoff in Week 2. Rookie Justin Herbert took over and set the league on fire en route to Rookie of the Year honors. Tough break for the veteran leader, Super Bowl champion (XLVII), and one-time Pro Bowl quarterback (2015). He has thrown for 9,770 yards and 54 touchdowns (20 interceptions) in 10 career seasons.
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Steichen Explains Quarterback Philosophy
Steichen started his professional coaching career as an offensive quality control coach in San Diego. He was promoted to quarterbacks coach and eventually offensive coordinator. He knows how important the quarterback position is — as does new Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni — and talked about building off the strengths of all the players on the roster.
“You want to build some things around what your quarterbacks do,” Steichen told reporters last April, via Sports Illustrated. “What your quarterbacks do, let’s work to their strengths and build off that. And that’s the same with all positions. You want to put your guys in position to be successful. Put your receivers in position for good matchups. Tight ends, running backs, whatever it is. Obviously, it starts with the quarterback.”
Taylor Ready for Next Opportunity
Meanwhile, Taylor appears healed from that tragic and unfortunate lung incident as he sits at home waiting for the next call. The problem occurred when a Chargers team doctor gave him an injection to relieve pain from a cracked ribs injury.
He didn’t mean to hurt Taylor and the 31-year-old took it in stride, never getting upset about it. Luckily, the gaffe didn’t turn out to be career-threatening and he recovered in just a few weeks.
“I’m just in the cut sitting sideways”… #Keep5triving
Taylor has long been one of the good guys in football, with productive stints with the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers. He threw for 3,035 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2015 while rushing for another 568 yards on 104 carries (four scores). The Virginia native was making his first start in 724 days when he lined up under center for the Chargers last year in Week 1. It was a humbling experience.
“When it comes to my football career,” Taylor said at the time. “I’ve just had to work for everything, like a lot of guys in that locker room and across the league.”
You couldn’t ask for a better backup for Hurts, a guy who could push him in camp and maybe even win the starting job.
Jalen Hurts sent this out on Instagram tonight
Working. Wearing a Phillies hat
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