To be a Super Bowl contender, a team typically has to have a premier quarterback.
There are exceptions, of course, but the quarterback is the most important position on the field. And it's key for a team's star QB to have a strong connection with his head coach and offensive coordinator.
The Eagles check off just about every box for a Super Bowl team — except that QB-coach relationship. Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni had a strained relationship in the 2023 season, and that seemed to affect the team's play on the field, according to a new ESPN report.
Philadelphia started the season 10-1 before losing six of its last seven games, including the wild-card game against the Buccaneers.
Here's where the beef between Hurts and Sirianni stands entering the 2024 NFL season, including how the team is seeking to mend their relationship.
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Jalen Hurts-Nick Sirianni beef, explained
Ahead of the 2024 NFL season, the Eagles' roster looks to be Super Bowl-ready with Hurts under center and a plethora of offensive weapons around him.
The main obstacle is whether Hurts and Sirianni can mend their relationship before any bad blood taints another season. The 2023 season was miserable, per ESPN's report, even as the team began 10-1 following a Super Bowl appearance.
"Even when we were 10-1, everyone was walking around like their dog died," a team source told ESPN. "All year, instead of having fun playing, it was like, 'Oh my gosh, we lost the Super Bowl.'"
A team source told ESPN that Hurts and Sirianni had a "fractured" and unhealthy relationship during the 2023 season, and much of that stemmed from how they viewed the offensive game plan.
Another reason for the divide may have come from offensive coordinator Shane Steichen leaving the Eagles after the 2022 season to become head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. Brian Johnson, the former quarterbacks coach, took over the offense. He had a two-decade long relationship with Hurts, so the two had planned to revamp the offense.
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Sirianni didn't want that, which cause the head coach to get more involved in the play calling. He wanted to keep doing what had been working in previous years.
"Jalen doesn't give Nick enough credit," a source told ESPN. "A lot of what we do well does stem from Nick."
After a disastrous 2023 season by Philadelphia standards, Sirianni has reportedly taken a step back from the offense. The team hired a new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore, who could give the Eagles a fresh start.
There's still some progress to be made, however. Hurts didn't have much of an answer when asked about Sirianni's offensive open-mindedness this offseason.
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"Um," Hurts said at minicamp in June. "I mean, that's a great question. I don't know that I know the answer to it."
The Eagles' championship window is still open, but they won't be a serious contender if Hurts and Sirianni aren't on the same page. It's bound to be a messy season if they don't mend their relationship.
