PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Jalen Hurts knew the opportunity might arrive this week. It took one conversation to confirm his time had come.
Hurts sat down with Doug Pederson and Carson Wentz this week as he heard the news many Eagles fans were expecting: Wentz was heading to the bench, and Hurts will take over as the Eagles starting quarterback.
Hurts came into last Sunday's game after Wentz struggled again and made enough plays to take the starting job from his slumping teammate. Now, Hurts will turn his attention to his first start when the Eagles host the Saints on Sunday at the Linc.
"It’s a great opportunity," said Hurts. "Coach talked to me, talked to both of us. It’s a great opportunity moving forward. We’ve focused on things we have to do this week."
Pederson wants Hurts to stay within himself in his first start.
When Pederson was a quarterback in Green Bay during his playing days, he had to step in when Brett Favre was unable to play. The Green Bay coaches told Pederson to try to play like himself and not to try to be Favre.
Pederson is taking the same approach with Hurts this week.
"That's my message to him," Pederson said. "Be Jalen Hurts and do the things that he can do. I think from an offensive perspective just run the show, just run it how he sees it and we'll coach him up through the week and get him prepared."
While Hurts prepares for his first start, Wentz must now adjust to watching from the sidelines.
Pederson would not say if Wentz will get another chance to play this season barring an injury to Hurts, and added he is approaching the situation on a week to week basis. However, Pederson did say one of his top priorities is to work with Wentz and to get him back to the level of play he was at during his first few years with the team.
"I think Carson Wentz can be an exceptional quarterback in this league and he's proven that," said Pederson. “We've got to continue to battle and fight and work with him individually, work with him within the confines of the offense, the structure, and just get him back to being Carson Wentz and back on track."
While Wentz looks to recover and turn his season and possibly his career around, Hurts will get ready to face one of the top defenses in the NFL.
It won't be an easy debut for Hurts, but he vows to take the same approach as he does every week even with an increased workload.
"My role has changed this week," Hurts said. "But the preparation and the hard work throughout the week has not, so carrying on that same mentality that I’ve always had this year, always being able or being able to answer the phone when it rings.”