PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Whether fair or not, there is a decent chance you'll hear debates this offseason about whether Jalen Hurts should be the Philadelphia Eagles' quarterback in 2022.
Despite leading the Eagles to an unlikely playoff berth, those who don't believe in him will likely use his underwhelming postseason performance against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday as a reason to prove their case.
When asked about whether he had done enough to be Philadelphia's quarterback going forward, Hurts cited his growth and the relationships he has developed.
"I think I've done a lot of great things this year, a lot of things to learn from personally," Hurts said.
"I think the most important thing for me when you ask that question is the relationships that I've built with my teammates … and being with my coaches, building relationships with them, and building something special in the future. I think there's a lot of value in everything that's happened this year and will do us a good deed coming up next year."
Hurts is looking forward to more continuity in coaching, specifically with calling plays. He explained that dating back to his freshman year at Alabama, he has consistently been working with different play-callers.
Next season, assuming something unforeseen doesn't happen, head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Shane Steichen will be in their roles again.
Hurts also confirmed that since the end of November, his ankle hasn't been 100%.
"I think for that last part of the season, whenever I came back after the injury, our offense kind of changed a bit and I wasn't running as much," he said.
"We weren't doing some of those things as much just because I simply wasn't able to get freaky like usual."
Hurts was a dynamic rushing quarterback before injuring his ankle in the first meeting against the Giants. Afterward, he ran a lot less.
Hurts actually felt the offense took a big step in efficiency after that. However, what if Hurts was able to "get freaky like usual?" Would the Buccaneers have been as dominant?
Some may say no. Others will insist Hurts has to be a passer before a runner.
Former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, whose success in Philadelphia put his number five in the rafters at Lincoln Financial Field, told SportsRadio 94WIP that when looking at the entire season, he is impressed by the way Hurts played and handled adversity.
"The thing that bothers me a lot of times when, you know, everyone just kind of finger points right at the quarterback, and then now I think in this situation this leads to, 'Well, you know, we'll go into the draft next season to draft the quarterback,' or whatever it may be," said McNabb.
"You just have to continue to stay patient with him and allow him to get comfortable and know what the situation is."
McNabb indicated it's not a bad thing if the Eagles try to pursue a top-tier quarterback like Houston's Deshaun Watson or Seattle's Russell Wilson in a trade, but they shouldn't go for anything less. Watson has unresolved legal matters pertaining to sexual harassment and assault allegations.
Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith has a history with Hurts from their time at Alabama. Smith was asked if Hurts has done enough to earn the trust of the franchise to be their quarterback going forward.
"Most definitely," said Smith.
"A first-year starter leads us to the playoffs, things like that...everything is not going to be what you want it to be," Smith explained.
"You're going to have ups and downs. You're going to have little bumps here and there...when adversity strikes, I mean he responds, so I think he's going to be that guy."
Sirianni appeared to give Hurts a vote of confidence shortly after the loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday as well.
Yet, a question that needs to be answered is how the Eagles' front office will handle their quarterback situation this offseason, especially with an unprecedented three first-round picks in the NFL Draft.