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New Report Reveals Jalen Hurts Called Rival Coach After Loss in 2023
By Thad Brown,
10 hours ago
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts took the unusual step of contacting a rival coach during a challenging period in the 2023 season, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Tim McManus reported Monday.
Despite a promising 10-1 start, the Eagles hit a rough patch, prompting Hurts to seek solutions.
He reached out to Wink Martindale, who had recently been relieved of his duties as the defensive coordinator for the New York Giants.
As the Eagles struggled with five losses in their final six games, Hurts sought advice from Martindale, who had given the Eagles a tough time in Week 18.
Martindale’s defense had blitzed heavily and held Hurts to a season-low QBR of 5.3.
“I’ve been doing this for 40 years, and it’s the first time I’ve had an opposing quarterback call me up,” Martindale said, per ESPN.
He added, "I thought it was pretty cool that the guy called. It shows you what kind of pro he really is. He’s just looking at every angle that he can to get better."
The call lasted about thirty minutes, where Hurts and Martindale discussed the issues that led to the Eagles’ downfall.
Jalen Hurts and the Eagles lost six of their final seven games last season, including their wild-card playoff game.
Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
"It was very effective and he knew it, and he just wanted to know why we did certain things that we did," Martindale noted. "Then he went to work on that."
Despite Hurts’ efforts, the Eagles were knocked out of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. However, Hurts’ determination to improve was evident.
This season, the Eagles have made big changes, bringing in former Giants star Saquon Barkley and hiring Kellen Moore as their new offensive coordinator.
With these new additions, Hurts might not need to call rival coaches for help.
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