Jalen Hurts’ Misery Continues as Saquon Barkley Is Set to Retain Key Role That Delivered Eagles Super Bowl – Report

The Philadelphia Eagles might be winning on paper, but the atmosphere inside Lincoln Financial Field is becoming more complex. For now, Jalen Hurts remains the face of the franchise. But the offense he leads resembles a throwback to the 1970s rather than the elite squad that fans had hoped for. They aren’t relying on passing yards. Deep throws? They are rare, too. And when the offense needs a spark, it’s often No. 26 and not No. 1, getting the call.

In their Wild Card victory over the Packers, Hurts played almost 27 real-time minutes without completing a single throw. The Eagles ran 19 consecutive plays without a pass completion from the last minute of the first quarter to the end of the third. And Hurts acknowledged it, “It was execution, it was rhythm. We have to find our rhythm earlier in the game.” Hurts had 13 completions for a total of just 131 throwing yards. Safe, effective, and clean. But also: pedestrian. That performance marked the 5th-fewest passing yards by an Eagles QB in playoff history. And it didn’t go unnoticed.

Now, Ross Tucker‘s podcast has fueled the flames. In a clip posted to X, Tucker questioned Greg Cosell about the Eagles’ potential return to a more pass-first identity in 2025. What did Cosell say? “That’s the way they started out a year ago when they had the early bye when they were 2-2 and then they made an organizational decision that we need to give the ball to Saquon Barkley and have him run behind the best run blocking O-Line in football.” In other words, Philly made a decision. It was Saquon Barkley’s legs, not Hurts’ arm. And that decision wasn’t exactly subtle.

“That’s the way they started out a year ago…then they made an organizational decision that we need to give the ball to Saquon Barkley and have him run behind the best run blocking O-Line in football.”@GregCosell on whether he sees the Eagles throwing the ball more in 2025: pic.twitter.com/gtWX5gHel7

— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) June 8, 2025

The Eagles stopped acting like they were going to air it out after a rocky 2-2 start last season. The playbook was tightened. They relied on what was effective. It was obvious that Barkley was the closer, the drive-starter, and the tone-setter. So, it wasn’t just about play-calling. It was about philosophy. And that philosophy didn’t revolve around Jalen Hurts slinging it 35 times a game. “You know it doesn’t matter (how we win)…It’s all about winning. That’s the only thing we’ve got to the point we are. So, it’s about finding ways to win,” Hurts said.

For a franchise quarterback, it’s a difficult pill to swallow. And Hurts isn’t playing badly at all. He has thrown timely touchdowns, maintained composure, and protected the ball. But the lack of rhythm, the long stretches of passing silence, and the reduced role in dictating the game flow all point to a quarterback being quietly phased out of center stage. Winning covers up pain in playoff football. But beneath the surface, you can sense it bubbling.

Saquon Barkley to remain focal point as Eagles dial back Hurts’ passing role

Reportedly, we will continue to see a trend that we observed developing during the 2024 season. The Eagles went 4-0, including their playoff victory, in games where Hurts threw for less than 135 yards. The approach is straightforward: a rushing game that can bleed the clock, excellent defense, and mistake-free quarterbacking. Barkley finished fourth in Eagles postseason history with 119 yards against Green Bay. And while it didn’t always come easily, it came when it mattered.

From Week 5 onward in 2024, Barkley emerged as the offensive engine. Barkley had the volume and confidence he never had in New York.“In the end, stats don’t matter. We’ve got to be our biggest critic, and that’s what we’re going to be, and we’re going to see what we can improve on,” Barkley said. “But the only thing that really matters is that we win. Throw for 400 yards, rush for 400 yards and win 3-0? I don’t care. I just want to win. And I know that’s the mindset of the team.” The result? Efficiency, ball control, and wins. Barkley kept the momentum going even when Hurts faltered, such as during that perplexing 0-for-7 run against the Packers.

Although there isn’t exactly panic in the locker room, players’ talk over the offense has changed noticeably. After the Packers’ victory, Lane Johnson said, “We kind of got stagnant, but I thought the second half we battled, we steadily improved…I felt like we in some ways under-performed. We’ve got to be more consistent. I felt like we had a lot of ups and downs. There wasn’t a whole lot of steadiness.” 

Even Nick Sirianni acknowledged the offensive struggles but quickly defended Hurts as a “winner.” He said, “Jalen is a winner. He wins. I mean, no one can argue that. The other thing is we know when we take care of the football, the things that happen when we take care of the football, and Jalen’s on this pace of the efficiency…to be able to do that while also taking care of the football is huge.” But there is a real question concealed underneath the calm messaging: Is Jalen Hurts gradually transitioning into a game manager role?

His 158 consecutive postseason passes in 3 games without a pick are outstanding (7th-longest streak in NFL history). But they are beginning to seem more like cautionary statistics than signs of dominance. Barkley is reportedly expected to continue to play the primary role in 2025, but with the Madden curse looming over his head, we will have to wait and watch how he performs in the season.

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