PHILADELPHIA — Two weeks later, the tweet had surpassed 17 million views. And that’s just how far it traveled on one of the Philadelphia Eagles’ social media platforms.
The Eagles had posted to X a video trumpeting a practice interception by 2024 first-round draft pick Quinyon Mitchell. A vigorous debate broke out.
Advertisement
Was the video — which spotlighted quarterback Jalen Hurts’ throwing mechanics in its narrow, vertical framing — yet another reason to wonder whether Hurts is headed the way of his predecessor Carson Wentz, whom the Eagles moved on from more suddenly than most NFL teams would have?
Or was the video a totally reasonable chance to spotlight a sharp defensive highlight in a world that is increasingly trending toward offense? Its “Right on Q” caption directed fans to Mitchell, who picked off the pass that appeared to be intended for Hollywood Brown. But corners of the internet can turn just about anything into a slight.
Fast forward to Wednesday, 14 days after the tweet but less than 24 hours removed from the Eagle’s lone public practice at their stadium. This time, offseason acquisition Riq Woolen intercepted two of Hurts’ passes, including one he returned for a touchdown.
Advertisement
And left tackle Jordan Mailata had thoughts.
“Everyone’s talking about all the picks and stuff, but it’s not about that,” Mailata told Yahoo Sports, when asked not about the interception but Hurts’ training camp plan more generally. “It’s: Is he executing what coach is trying to get him to do? And he is. And I think before, he would be a little hesitant to be like that, but now there’s no fear. … This year, he’s not afraid of making mistakes.
“When you’re learning something new, that’s how you have to be. You got to have thick skin.”
Hurts is also adjusting to his sixth play-caller entering his seventh NFL season — a wild rate of turnover even in an impatient league. (Go back to high school and college, and Hurts is on his 11th play caller in 12 years.)
Play Yahoo’s new College Fantasy Football game: Create or join a league now!
Advertisement
The Eagles have lost some coordinators to head coaching jobs (Shane Steichen, Kellen Moore) and others after recent struggles (Kevin Patullo, Brian Johnson). But across the first five years of Hurts’ starting career, Philadelphia cycled through coordinators bringing similar schemes.
This year, Mannion’s introduction of Shanahan-McVay system principles are totally different.
The Eagles know they’re taking a risk, both on a first-time coordinator and on their players adapting to different techniques and formations quickly enough to compete come their regular-season opener against the Washington Commanders. But the risk is part of the point, head coach Nick Sirianni said. And the club is eager to see whether it pays off.
“I wouldn’t trade our last five years with any other coach or any other team in the entire NFL,” Sirianni told Yahoo Sports on Wednesday. “It was just time to switch. … There was enough junk being thrown around on defense to stop the things that we were doing where we needed a little bit of a change that handles a little bit more junk.
Advertisement
“We need things that are better suited to handle junk.”
Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion (right) is the sixth different play-caller Jalen Hurts (left) will play for in his NFL career. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
(Mitchell Leff via Getty Images)
In Eagles’ new offense, ‘everything’s aggressive’
Mailata long thought the Eagles’ offensive line he’s helped anchor the last six years was aggressive. Since Mannion’s arrival, he’s changed his mind.
“I’ve never really thought about and never knew that life could be like this as an O-lineman,” Mailata said. “Just being more into the line, more aggressive and getting your hands, shooting your hands. We’ve always been [about] pretty patient punches in the pass game.
“Now it’s like everything from the run game to the pass game to the play-action game, everything’s aggressive.”
Advertisement
Veteran offensive linemen are being asked to shift the techniques that led to success, including two Super Bowl appearances and one championship. So are their counterparts across the offense, from Hurts to running back Saquon Barkley to a revamped receiver cast.
Change for the Eagles’ offense is a feature rather than a bug. Sirianni’s belief that their offense no longer best positioned players for success against modern defensive trends showed in last year’s statistics.
After three straight years ranking top 10 in points scored and yards, the Eagles fell last year to 19th and 24th, respectively. Their passing game wasn’t a huge change: Philadelphia ranked 23rd in passing yards each of the last two years, Hurts actually throwing for 6.4 more yards per game last year (194.3) than the year before (187.9).
The Eagles’ run game, meanwhile, fell off a cliff to the tune of 61.4 yards fewer per game (from 178.3 in 2024 to 116.9 in 2025). The Eagles’ offensive line success dropped from sixth in pass-block win rate and ninth in run-block win rate, per ESPN’s advanced metrics, to 17th and 16th, respectively.
Advertisement
Enter their new system, which Philadelphia believes will allow Barkley to discern more information on reads that dictate his cuts. This offense is heavily predicated on timing, from quarterback footwork to receiver route depth to blocks that could make or break anticipatory throws and more regimented system choices.
The Eagles believe their wide receiver room features versatility in the wake of trading A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots on June 1 for a 2028 first-round pick and 2027 fifth. Former Green Bay Packers receiver Dontayvion Wicks, 2026 first-round selection Makai Lemon and journeyman 2019 first-rounder Hollywood Brown join a room led by DeVonta Smith, who’s coming off his third 1,000-yard season in the last four years.
“You have a No. 1 receiver in DeVonta Smith, who, we’ve always believed has been a No. 1 receiver,” Sirianni said. “You have a ‘Tay Wicks who I think has great qualities of a wide receiver: I always think that my ideal receiver in the NFL, before I look at speed and before I look at anything else, [has] play strength and body quickness [to get] in and out of the breaks. And this guy has elite of both.”
Brown and Elijah Moore will be tabbed to add further speed while Darius Cooper will step up for “dirty work,” Sirianni said.
Advertisement
Separation at the top of routes will be imperative amid the strict timing of the system, while formations will more often feature bunch or tighter splits to disguise from defenses whether a run or pass awaits. Expect more pre-snap motion, a trend in vogue across the NFL.
Mailata endearingly called Mannion “crazy” for the level of detail he’s installing.
“He’s awesome,” Mailata said. “It’s like, ‘It doesn’t matter what they bring, this is what we’re going to do. And I have answers.’ He has answers built in for everything.”
Jalen Hurts has won through his career. With new offense, will that continue?
During Tuesday’s night practice, Hurts faced a quick game, or gap and path switch, from Eagles defensive linemen on his left, backup quarterback Tanner McKee said. Hurts reset and targeted an intermediate dig route to his right to save the play.
Advertisement
“We always talk about rhythm and tempo and getting through a progression,” McKee told Yahoo Sports. “In this offense, we’re not counting on one guy to be a winner. If the route’s not there and the defense took it away, well then we have a good backside concept that’s going to complement. So just being able to get through a progression. That he was able to do last night actually at the stadium practice, that I thought was great.”
With yet another play-caller, Hurts will look to be great for another season.
In six years in Philadelphia, including five atop the depth chart, Hurt has completed 64.4% of his pass attempts for 17,891 yards, 110 touchdowns and 45 interceptions. Arguably his best stat line: He’s won 56 of 80 starts in that stretch. Only the Buffalo Bills’ Josh Allen (60) and Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes (57) have won more games during that time. Each quarterback has won MVP honors.
Wins don’t arrive via quarterback alone, even if most quarterbacks and head coaches receive a disproportionate amount of credit for wins and a criticism for losses. Hurts has received far more criticism through his winning seasons than he has credit. Sirianni reminds his quarterback: That does not matter.
Advertisement
“Outside noise doesn’t really matter,” Sirianni said. “How many games you’ve won in a row doesn’t really matter. How many games you’ve lost in a row doesn’t really matter. It’s all about the work and it’s always, regardless of the circumstances or regardless of the situation, is the same person every day with his work and the way he attacks a day.
“He leads so much through just the way he goes about his business.”
Eagles offensive players will look to Hurts to continue leading on the field as they sort through a new and demanding offensive system not yet totally natural or familiar to most of them. Some of that leading will come through play adjustments that often fly under the radar, like the play reset Hurts made Tuesday night. Others will come through mistakes like camp interceptions — a reminder to acclimating teammates that the goal is to learn and grow more than it is to appear put-together in training camp.
Responses to mistakes often send the loudest messages. Hurts’ response to his Tuesday night interceptions were an example.
Advertisement
“He’s always been cool, calm, collected, but I like when he has that fire, when he knows he made a mistake and then he’s the first one to correct it and then make a big play,” Mailata said. “If you make mistakes, that’s how you learn. And he’s taking it with grace and he’s led by example doing that and overcoming those picks because right after that was touchdowns.”
Read the full article here
