In the high-stakes world of the NFL, quarterbacks often bear an uncanny resemblance to big-time politicians: when the ship starts sinking, all fingers point straight at them. The buck stops right there, no excuses, no passing the blame.
For the Philadelphia Eagles, that lightning rod has long been Jalen Hurts, ever since he stepped into the starting role and propelled the team to Super Bowl glory. But now, with back-to-back losses piling up and a season riddled with offensive frustrations, the spotlight on Hurts is blazing hotter than ever. The Eagles limp into Week 14 at 8-4, gearing up for a Monday Night Football showdown against the Los Angeles Chargers—and the pressure is mounting.
Enter former NFL quarterback and sharp-eyed NBC analyst Chris Simms, who isn’t mincing words. On the December 4 episode of the “This is Football With Kevin Clark” podcast, Simms dropped a bombshell: the Eagles’ woes? All on Hurts.
“Everybody’s blaming the coaches and the blame deserves to be on the quarterback, and that’s it,” Simms declared. “… there’s a lot of unhappiness in the organization about the quarterback. Teams have found the formula to go wait, we cannot be steamrolled by the biggest, most powerful offensive line in football. We can figure out ways to stop the run because the pass game is so simple and there’s certain plays and throws that the quarterback just won’t throw.”
Simms’ critique has sent shockwaves through the league, leaving fans and experts reeling as they dissect Philadelphia’s faltering attack.
### Simms: The QB Whisperer Who Loves Stirring the Pot
Chris Simms, son of New York Giants legend and Super Bowl XXI MVP Phil Simms, has carved out a reputation as one of the keenest quarterback evaluators in the game. From college prospects to pro stars, his post-playing career has been defined by bold takes and uncanny foresight.
Back in 2018, Simms boldly ranked two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson as his top pre-draft quarterback. Fast-forward to 2023, and he pegged Houston Texans sensation C.J. Stroud ahead of No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers. His instincts have proven spot-on time and again.
And Simms isn’t afraid to call it like he sees it—even if it ruffles feathers. Before the 2024 season, he famously labeled Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield’s 2023 style as “aggressively stupid.”
“I think (in 2023) he found the happy medium about week eight or week nine or somewhere around there it was like, wait, this is aggressive—this is aggressively stupid. This is not right, let me find the fine line here but still make game-changing throws,” Simms quipped on an NBC Sports podcast back in June.
Simms’ own NFL journey was anything but ordinary. Drafted in the third round out of the University of Texas by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2003, he spent five seasons with the team. But one harrowing incident in 2005 nearly ended it all—and his life.
During a brutal matchup against the Carolina Panthers, Simms absorbed a series of vicious hits. Pulled from the game temporarily, he gutted it out, returning to lead a crucial scoring drive despite excruciating pain. Post-game, he was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery on a ruptured spleen. He’d lost five pints of blood, and doctors warned that another hour’s delay could have been fatal. It was a chilling reminder of the game’s unforgiving dangers.
Undeterred, Simms soldiered on, playing eight seasons across four teams before hanging up his cleats.
As the Eagles fight to salvage their season, Simms’ verdict on Hurts has ignited fierce debate. Is the quarterback truly the weak link, or is there more to Philadelphia’s offensive unraveling? One thing’s certain: in the NFL, blame is a heavy crown, and right now, it’s weighing Hurts down like never before.