Doug Pederson Firing Not Influenced by Jalen Hurts Benching, Says Eagles' Lurie

Doug Pederson controversially benched Jalen Hurts late in a Week 17 loss to the Washington Football Team, but that apparently was not a factor in the Philadelphia Eagles firing the coach Monday.

"Nothing to do with it whatsoever," owner Jeffrey Lurie told reporters Monday.

The Eagles finished the year 4-11-1 with seven losses in the final eight games, but it was the Week 17 loss that gained the most attention. Not only did Pederson keep several key players inactive, including Miles Sanders and Fletcher Cox, but the coach also benched Hurts in the fourth quarter in favor of third-stringer Nate Sudfeld.

Washington went on to win 20-14 and clinched the NFC East title in the process. The Eagles were already eliminated before the game, but their loss helped knock out the New York Giants.

The move was widely criticized at the time, but Lurie defended it by praising Sudfeld, who had just three previous appearances in four seasons with the organization.

The owner said Sudfeld "throws the best long ball on the roster" and added the quarterback was "unstoppable" in a 2017 game against the Dallas Cowboys (which the Eagles lost 6-0).

Regardless of what Lurie said, the decision to bench Hurts was significant even if the game was meaningless.

According to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, "many Eagles players and coaches were shocked and outraged" by the call and multiple players approached the coach about the move.

The rookie quarterback had been playing well and kept his team in the game with his running ability. Hurts had also impressed over the three previous starts and was trying to prove he can be the long-term answer at the position.

Though the overall record might have been a bigger concern, the Week 17 decisions might have been enough to lose the locker room and lead to a change.