Eagles' Jalen Hurts 'Excited' for More Responsibilities After Jason Kelce Retirement

Jalen Hurts will be taking on a bigger role in calling out pass protections now that Jason Kelce—the future Hall of Fame Philadelphia Eagles center who retired this offseason—is no longer with the team.

And it's a role he's eager to embrace.

"I think in the end when you look at this upcoming season and what you have seen in years past, it's just different autonomy in different places," he said during an appearance on 94.1 WIP (h/t ESPN's Tim McManus). "We had a great player in Kelce who took on a lot of responsibility, and as a result of that I was told not to worry about a lot of things. And so my eagerness to learn over the years kind of was halted because of who we had, but now times are different and I'm excited for that journey and this opportunity."

"It's been a role that I've been waiting on," he added. "I know we've had a well-respected, Hall of Fame guy who's been doing that, and now we [have] the opportunity to do that. It's something I've been wanting, and I think that's how it's supposed to be."

It will be an interesting new responsibility for a player in Hurts who already has shown the tendency to struggle against the blitz. It's a big year for the veteran quarterback after a disappointing 2023 season, as expectations are high in Philly after a strong offseason and the addition of players like superstar running back Saquon Barkley.