PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- "Who’s the starting quarterback on Opening Day for the Philadelphia Eagles?"
It’s the million-dollar question among Eagles fans, and CBS Sports' Pete Prisco asked it during Jalen Hurts' appearance on "CBS Sports HQ" on Tuesday.
Hurts, usually very reserved, smiled and chuckled.
"That’s a great question. That’s a great question," he said.
"I'll tell you that I’m putting the work in on my end. Trying to build those relationships with my guys. Excited for this offseason. Just excited to take that next step. Regardless of what’s what, I’m challenging myself to be the best quarterback I can be. Learn from my mistakes. As a team, learn from our mistakes last year."
Hurts acknowledged that professional football is a business, and the one thing he can control is his effort.
In a separate Super Bowl Week interview with NFL Network, "Total Access" host MJ Acosta-Ruiz asked Hurts how he would make the case to be the starter.
"I got the opportunity to speak with [Sirianni], and he’s a great, great guy, just meeting him. Hopefully looking forward to sitting down and talking to him some more."
Sirianni informed WIP's Angelo Cataldi on Monday that he and his new coaching staff have begun the process of evaluating the quarterback position.
Cataldi directly asked Sirianni this week if there will be a competition between Hurts and Wentz. Sirianni did not directly answer.
"Everybody in this situation is competing — players, coaches, every position," Sirianni said.
CEO Jeffrey Lurie revealed on the Eagles Insider Podcast that the quarterback situation did not come up much in the head coach interview process. But, he said, "I think the general consensus was very positive. We got two quarterbacks with big upsides. And now it’s a question of maximizing them."
Defensive back Jalen Mills — who is slated to be a free agent — told CBS Sports HQ that he thinks there should be a competition.
And Saints safety and former Eagle Malcolm Jenkins offered a unique perspective on "The Rich Eisen Show" last week about his friend Carson Wentz's situation. Jenkins hasn’t been with the team since the 2019 season, but he remembers some issues from the locker room.
"There was just too much leeway, and it didn’t make him a better player," Jenkins said. "I don’t think they did him any favors by trying to kinda protect his ego or trying to just really protect him as a player, as opposed to, just like every other player, keeping it performance based and really being real about what he needed to improve on. ... And I think, that’s a little bit on coaching staff. That’s also some onus on the player."
Jenkins' implication that the former coaching staff wasn't tough enough on Wentz is particularly noteworthy.
The addition of Brian Johnson as quarterbacks coach adds another fascinating wrinkle. Johnson has known the 22-year-old Hurts since he was 4 years old, and he played for Hurts' father in high school.
"Coach Brian is like family," Hurts told CBS Sports HQ.
What does Wentz think? There are rumors about whether or not he wants to remain in Philadelphia, but no one knows. Wentz's last press conference was Dec. 6, the night Doug Pederson benched him in Green Bay.