As the 2023 Eagles season went down the tubes in the final weeks, there was a lot of discussion about why things went off the rails for the NFC East club.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts’s leadership style was one of the things bandied about. While his steadiness was praised on the way to the NFC title the previous year, Hurts’s style drew some questions as the Eagles faded after a blistering start to the year.
There wasn’t any public questioning of Hurts’s approach from inside the building, but right tackle Lane Johnson said on The Rich Eisen Show this week that he has seen a difference in the quarterback. Johnson said Hurts has “gone out of his way to connect with his teammates” in a louder way than he has in the past.
“Just this offseason, he’s really done a good job of bonding with his teammates,” Johnson said. “I feel like the connection has definitely grown. A really big offseason. The work ethic has never been an issue. Tremendous worker. But, just becoming a more vocal leader and, whenever he speaks, guys listen up.”
If the Eagles don’t make a strong rebound in 2024, there will be plenty of speculation about what the future will be for head coach Nick Sirianni and many others. Hurts will likely be in that group, but Johnson said he has no doubts about the signal caller.
“Every year is kind of a prove-it deal to everybody, when you’re in that town,” Johnson said. “Jalen’s our guy moving forward. We love him, we respect him, and nobody puts in more work than he does.”
The results of that work will be the subject of close attention in Philadelphia this fall.