Despite His Downfall, Jalen Hurts Won’t Face Extreme Performance Pressure Due to Eagles’ Team Overhaul, Says LeSean McCoy

All eyes will be on Jalen Hurts this upcoming season. After a disappointing 2023, which ended on a low note, the Philadelphia Eagles have been upgrading their roster to make a comeback from their embarrassing record of 11-6.

Recently, two-time Pro Bowl running back, Saquon Barkley, joined the crew, adding to the already star-studded offensive line. However, the man responsible for leading the team from the front would be Jalen Hurts. So the question arises: Will stepping into a new season with the present roster put extra pressure on the QB?

‘Shady’ McCoy feels Jalen Hurts would “absolutely not” suffer from any extra pressure

On the Speak podcast, Emmanuel Acho pointed out how the quarterback had Miles Sanders, D’Andre Swift, and now Saquon Barkley, all elite RBs, as his supporting offense. This is bound to create a pressure situation on Hurts, according to the former linebacker, who also talked about how the general manager, Howie Roseman, built the roster around Hurts.

Former Eagles RB LeSean McCoy is the perfect person to judge the predicament. He was asked if he felt there was any pressure on the 25-year-old quarterback, and his answer was simple, “Absolutely not.” While establishing that he ‘loves Jalen Hurts,’ the former NFL star said that since there are many elite players in a lot of positions, not all the responsibility falls on Hurts despite him being the “main guy.”

“The only thing matters is wins and losses,” said McCoy. “…So yes, I think the main person, yes, is the quarterback, Jaylen Hurts, but no pressure when you have a team that’s helping the rounding.” While ‘Shady’ McCoy opined that there shouldn’t be any pressure on Hurts while acknowledging the talent the quarterback holds, another member of the panelist had a differing viewpoint.

Hurts and Josh Allen are in polar opposite team situations

Joy Taylor used Josh Allen as an example to explain her contrasting point of view. She said that the QB “doesn’t have a lot of help this year” in the Bills, so even if he doesn’t perform really well, people will look at the team’s roster and say, “Eh, he doesn’t have enough.” However, Hurts is in the opposite situation, with a whole crew around him, which, in turn, adds to the pressure.

“I look at pressure from that perspective,” said Taylor. “…As for pressure, -actually having pieces around you, he doesn’t have a lot of pressure. But because he has those pieces around him, he has to perform.” The host also clarified that while a lot of people are doubting the quarterback’s abilities after last season, she thinks it’s unfair to have those unrealistic expectations.

However, she also emphasized that with all eyes on him, he can’t afford to repeat the mistakes of the previous season. “So I’m not super worried about him, but he does have some pieces around him again, so we got to get back to the Jaylen Hurts that we saw that Super Bowl year where we saw them winning games because of him. -we saw that special thing. We saw him -being the leader of the team.”

While the analysts might be divided on their opinion about whether the Eagles quarterback will be under extra pressure in the 2024 season, no one questions his abilities as a player. Jalen Hurts is gearing up to pick up the team from its embarrassing past and repeat his march to the Super Bowl.