Jalen Hurts Defended by Eagles Hall of Famer amid Criticism, NFL Rumors

Philadelphia Eagles legend Malcolm Jenkins came to the defense of Jalen Hurts as the scrutiny on the quarterback continues to grow.

"I think in watching him as an opponent, and as a fan, there is nobody else who's more equipped to be in the position that he's in right now," he told ESPN's Tim McManus. "I've watched quarterbacks and players my whole career, not many could be in the seat that he's in. I recognized that very early, and I think it's no surprise that he's standing here now a Super Bowl champion, still leading one of the best teams in the National Football League, all while holding all of it on his shoulders."

Jenkins, who's set to be inducted into the Eagles' Hall of Fame this week, added he's confident Hurts will silence his skeptics.

"I'm a big fan of Jalen, not only because of my personal relationship, but just because of what he stands for and understanding myself what it looks like to have a vision for a team, something that maybe not everybody sees, but I have to stand 10 toes down on it until everybody sees what I see," he said.

Whereas winning a Super Bowl often affirms a quarterback's ascent into the elite tier, that achievement didn't erase the general criticisms fans had of Hurts. His peers ranked him lower on the annual list of the NFL's top 100 players as well.

The two-time Pro Bowler's performance in 2025 is so far reinforcing why people weren't won over by his contributions to Philly's collective success a season ago.

Hurts has thrown for 2,284 yards, 17 touchdowns and one interception, and the offense as a whole hasn't played up to its talent level.

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The Athletic's Dianna Russini reported on Nov. 15 that "multiple offensive players have grown frustrated with Jalen Hurts' approach this season, particularly against zone coverage."

"They believe he's become hesitant in tight windows, leaning on checkdowns or scrambles instead of trusting what's open downfield," the NFL insider wrote.

And that was before Philadelphia threw away a 21-point lead to the Dallas Cowboys in a Week 12 loss. Should the Eagles' current trajectory continue, Jenkins might find himself on more of an island with his faith in Hurts.