The ink on Jalen Hurts’ massive $255 million contract extension has been dry for a couple of years now, but the honeymoon phase in Philadelphia is officially over.
Following a remarkably frustrating 2025 season that saw the Eagles’ offense look more like a rusty bicycle than a Ferrari, the critics are circling. And they aren’t just anonymous trolls on social media.
We are talking about respected former players, analysts, and guys who know what it takes to win in this league. When guys like Lavonte David and Breiden Fehoko start treating your franchise quarterback like a cautionary tale, you know you have a situation on your hands.
Let’s break down exactly how the narrative flipped on the guy who just recently brought a Lombardi Trophy to Broad Street, and why the 2026 offseason is shaping up to be a brutal one for the birds.
1. The $255 Million Elephant in the Room
Life comes at you fast in the NFL. Back in 2023, Jalen Hurts was the undisputed king of Philly. He signed a five-year, $255 million extension, and nobody blinked. Why would they? He was a proven winner. But fast forward to the end of the 2025 campaign, and the vibes are downright miserable.
Despite sharing a huddle with a video-game-level arsenal of weapons, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith, Hurts struggled to keep the offense afloat. The Eagles finished 24th in total offense.
Hurts threw for 3,224 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. On paper, those numbers aren’t a disaster, but the eye test told a different story. The team averaged a pedestrian 311.2 yards per game, a massive drop-off from the 367.2 yards they were chewing up during their championship run.
When you have that much talent on the field, and you’re getting paid a quarter of a billion dollars, you don’t get a pass for leading a stagnant offense. The locker room felt the tension, and the rest of the league definitely took notice.
2. Lavonte David and Breiden Fehoko Do Not Hold Back
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If you want to know how opposing defenses truly feel about a quarterback, wait until they retire. Former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker and Super Bowl champion Lavonte David recently went on the record with a quote that should make every Eagles fan’s stomach turn. When discussing game-planning against Philadelphia, David flatly stated that Hurts was “never a guy we worried about.”
But he wasn’t the only one taking shots. Former NFL defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko decided to pour a little more gasoline on the fire. Fehoko took to social media and delivered a brutal assessment of the situation in Philly. “The world is seeing the truth about Jalen Hurts,” Fehoko tweeted. “It’s going to be a long offseason for Eagles fans.”
When a guy like Fehoko, who spent time in the trenches and shared a locker room with Russell Wilson, publicly calls out your franchise quarterback’s ability, it removes the benefit of the doubt. It’s not just defensive guys like David and Fehoko smelling blood in the water. Fellow quarterbacks are chiming in, too.
Former MVP Cam Newton didn’t hold back when asked about the Eagles’ struggles, pointing directly to the team’s financial situation. “When you’re making $60M a year and leading the league in three-and-outs, people will talk,” Newton said. Cam is right. The modern NFL is wildly unforgiving. When you take up that much of the salary cap, you are expected to elevate the guys around you, not rely on them to bail you out of broken plays. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported that Hurts is “at a crossroads” with the franchise.
3. The Andy Dalton Insurance Policy
The most glaring indictment of the current situation in Philadelphia isn’t a tweet from Fehoko or a soundbite from Newton. It’s a roster move. Heading into 2026, the Eagles’ front office looked at their quarterback room and decided they needed a safety net. So, they went out and signed veteran Andy Dalton.
You don’t bring in a seasoned, competent veteran like Dalton if you are 100% confident that your $255 million starter has everything completely under control. Dalton is there for insurance, and his presence alone turns up the heat on Hurts’ seat.
Hurts is walking into the 2026 season with the weight of the city on his shoulders. He has the physical tools, the work ethic, and the resume of a champion. We have all seen him play at an MVP level. But the NFL stands for “Not For Long” for a reason.
If he comes out firing and leads the Eagles back to the top of the NFC East, all of these quotes from David and Fehoko will be forgotten, buried under a pile of impressive stats and Sunday victories. But if the offense continues to sputter, and the three-and-outs pile up? That $255 million contract is going to feel like an anchor, and the Eagles will have some incredibly uncomfortable decisions to make.