New bombshell report expands on issues between Eagles' Nick Sirianni, Jalen Hurts

Both Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and quarterback Jalen Hurts insisted earlier during training camp that their relationship is fine after a bombshell report in July detailed alleged issues between the two amid the club's collapse late last season.

For a lengthy piece published on Wednesday, Tim McManus and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN expanded on what they referred to as "a prolonged strain between Hurts and Sirianni during the 2023 campaign" that ended with Philadelphia's 32-9 wild-card playoff loss at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

One source told ESPN the Sirianni-Hurts relationship became "'fractured' and unhealthy" as the 2023 Eagles fell from 10-1 to 11-6.

"There was never a moment last year where they were operating in a healthy relationship," an ESPN source said about the coach and quarterback.

Hurts signed a five-year contract extension reportedly worth up to $255M with $179.3M guaranteed in the spring of 2023. However, ESPN reported that Sirianni became "more hands-on last season and took more control" of the offense after former Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen became head coach of the Indianapolis Colts following Philadelphia's Super Bowl LVII loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Sirianni's approach seemingly did more harm than good when all was said and done. Brian Johnson was dismissed as Philadelphia's offensive coordinator this past January, and Sirianni reportedly has transitioned into "more of a CEO-type role" with Kellen Moore serving as Johnson's replacement.

"There is hope new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore can 'bridge the gap between the two' as one source close to Hurts put it," the ESPN story explained. "Both Hurts and Sirianni made efforts to take accountability and mend fences this offseason, but their next stress test will have Sirianni coaching for his job and Hurts fighting to reclaim MVP form on a team desperate to return to the Super Bowl."

Shortly after the Eagles fell to the Buccaneers in January, Philadelphia was heavily linked in rumors with former New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. Belichick reportedly "intends to coach in 2025," and ESPN noted that the Eagles front office "discussed" hiring the living legend this past winter before it stuck with Sirianni for what likely will be a make-or-break season regarding his tenure with the organization.

"Some close observers of the coaching landscape already have Philadelphia circled as an opening barring a strong showing by the team in 2024," McManus and Fowler added about Sirianni's lack of long-term job security. "...As it is across the NFL, a coach's fate is largely tied to the quarterback."

Winning often fixes all problems for teams, but the Eagles won't play a meaningful game until they open the upcoming season with a matchup versus the Green Bay Packers in Brazil on Sept. 6. Thus, Sirianni and Hurts may spend portions of the next month fielding questions during media obligations about their "fractured" working relationship.