PHILADELPHIA – As Kellen Moore was being introduced on Thursday as the new head coach of the New Orleans Saints, the quarterback he left behind was contemplating who the new coordinator would be, while speaking of how much Moore meant in his evolution into a Super Bowl MVP.
This is nothing new for Jalen Hurts. When he enters his sixth season this year, the Eagles quarterback will be working with his fifth different offensive coordinator. You could say six because in 2020, Doug Pederson and Press Taylor shared OC duties.
From there, he had Shane Steichen for two years, followed by Brian Johnson for a year, and Moore this past season.
“I have a ton of respect for Kellen, what he’s been able to do, the ideas he’s had that he brought to us, to this team, and definitely poured more into me in terms of knowledge, and I was able to take that away from him and I’ll be able to build on that,” he said, during Thursday’s locker cleanout day as the 2024 Eagles prepared to head into the offseason after Friday’s parade up Broad Street.
Hurts made it to the Super Bowl in the second year of Steichen and got there in his first, and what will be his only season, with Moore. So, he is used to it. Sort of.
As much as he has been able to pick up whatever the new OCs have brought in, he still says it takes time.
“I know this is a talented team and we’ve never shied away from these types of (OC) adjustments,” said Hurts. “However, you know how important continuity is to me, and I think the most important thing when you move forward is about trying to build that chemistry.”
Hurts added that as the season went on, he became better at what Moore was asking from him. And it probably happened after a bye week they entered 2-2 before reeling off a franchise-record 10 straight wins.
“For us an offense, the more assertive I became throughout the year, the more in sync, the more rhythm we had,” he said. “There’s been a lot of changes, a lot of different things, and I know every coordinator has their own approach and their own way of seeing it, but it’s just about meshing it. I think in fullness, if there was a chance to have continuity, I think there could be … well, I don’t know if we’ll ever know.”
As for the next coordinator, there is speculation that the job could go to passing game coordinator Kevin Patullo, who has been with Hurts since Nick Sirianni became the head coach in early 2021.
Hurts gave his thoughts on that possibility.
‘Kevin Patullo’s never been…he’d have a different role, so it’s hard to compare that role to this role because his job is gonna demand something totally different of him,” the QB said. “I have a lot of confidence in him and what he’s shown, however, I know over the years, it’s out of my jurisdiction. Just kind of taking things as they come and try to go out there and be the best I can be, and learn and evolve.”
