Another analyst steps up to defend Jalen Hurts after Cam Newton's harsh critique
No one loved beef like the late, great 'Drama King,' D.J. Kay Slay. If things were quiet and there wasn't any, he'd create some. If he were here, he'd be having a field day with the Jalen Hurts narratives if he hadn't passed on after a COVID-19 contraction in 2022.
This seemed like a mere opinion a couple of years ago. Still, it's hard to think of a starting quarterback who is marginalized and disrespected more often than the Philadelphia Eagles starter. All he does is win. All people do is complain. If you only read the narratives, you'd think he was Trevor Lawrence or Justin Herbert... But, that probably doesn't make the point we're trying to communicate because people keep telling us those two are better players.
Recently, Cam Newton joined the Jalen Hurts onslaught. That was surprising. If anyone joined Hurt's side, we would have assumed it would have been him, but no dice.
Hurts found some support as Newton was criticized for his statements. The 2015 NFL MVP didn't waver. He doubled down. Most thought training camp would shift the focus away from this, but an established voice joined the discussion. And, he's backing Hurts.
Chase Senior is an analyst and content creator over at Chat Sports. He hosts Eagles Now and the 49ers Report. He joined in on the Newton vs. Hurts discussion and did Philadelphia sports fans proud.
We tried to play devil's advocate and offer a varying opinion just for kicks after that one, but we can't. Senior hit the nail on the head there. That sound you hear is Newton's jaw hitting the floor.
Well done, Mr. Senior. There's seemingly nothing left to add after that level of excellence. That being said, we get back to the Eagles training camp news.
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WR Torry Holt A six-time finalist and one of the cornerstones of the Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf," Holt finished with 920 career receptions for 13,382 yards and 74 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons. Part of a logjam at receiver over the years, Holt has been patient and deserves to take that next step into Canton. OT Willie Anderson Considered one of the best right tackles during his time in the league, Anderson is a five-time finalist at a position that has proved hard to move forward in the process. But his candidacy has gained steam and he finished in the top seven last year, giving him a chance to be in the mix for Jahri Evans Another talented lineman who was a finalist for the second time in his third year of eligibility. A six-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro, Evans served as an anchor up front for one of the most dominant offenses of his era, led by Drew Brees. S Rodney Harrison A two-time finalist, Harrison surprisingly was not a finalist this year. 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From 2011 to 2014, Lynch was dominant, totaling 5,357 rushing yards and scoring 56 touchdowns over that time. The five-time Pro Bowler's 10,419 rushing yards rank just No. 29 all time, but in the postseason, he's eighth all time with 970 rushing yards. QB Eli Manning A two-time Super Bowl champ and Super Bowl MVP, Manning's performance in the postseason is worthy of the Hall of Fame. The issue for voters is how he performed during the regular season. Manning finished 117-117 as a starter, including 9-26 in his final three seasons. His career 84.1 passer rating is No. 60 in NFL history. Manning was never an All-Pro and went to only four Pro Bowls, so he was never considered among the elite QBs during his time in the league. QB Philip Rivers One of the NFL's Iron Men, Rivers' 252 games played is second to Brett Favre for quarterbacks in league history. Rivers is the all-time passing leader in Chargers history and No. 6 in passing yards (63,440) and No. 6 in passing touchdowns (421) in league history. However, he went 5-7 in the postseason and never reached a Super Bowl. WR Steve Smith A finalist for the first time in 2025, Smith won the triple crown in 2005, leading the league in receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and receptions. He finished his career No. 8 in receiving yards and No. 12 in receiving touchdowns. Smith was a dominant player for the Carolina Panthers during a time when they didn't have a lot of playmakers. OLB Terrell Suggs Suggs was a finalist in his first year of eligibility. His 139 sacks place him No. 8 in NFL history. All seven players above Suggs on the list are Hall of Famers, so that bodes well for his chances of eventually getting into Canton. RB Fred Taylor Taylor finished his career with 11,695 rushing yards, No. 17 all time in NFL history. The only players above him on the list not in the Hall of Fame are Gore, who just became eligible this year, and Adrian Peterson. Others to consider: David DeCastro, Julian Edelman, Todd Gurley, LeSean McCoy, Greg Olsen, Maurkice Pouncey, Earl Thomas, Darren Woodson, Marshal Yanda Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for more than a decade, covering the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma News Tribune. Follow him on X at @eric_d_williams. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily!
