Jalen Hurts Embraces Familiar Face as New Play-Caller in Philly’s Latest Offensive Shift

PHILADELPHIA - Much is made of Jalen Hurts’ constant churn with offensive play-callers dating back to his college days at Alabama.

On the surface, that will continue with Hurts’ sixth different play-caller over what will be his sixth season in Philadelphia. Kevin Patullo is the next man up following Doug Pederson, Nick Sirianni, Shane Steichen, Brian Johnson and Kellen Moore, whose one prove-it season with the Eagles resulted in a Super Bowl LIX championship and the head-coaching job in New Orleans.

Peel back the onion, however, and Patullo has been around Hurts’ longer than anyone, spending the past four seasons as the Eagles’ passing game coordinator.

Philadelphia Eagles On SI asked Hurts about his latest play-caller on Tuesday at the NovaCare Complex.

“Coach Patullo, he’s been here throughout the journey as well,” Hurts said. “He’s had a different position, always played a pivotal role in what we've done. He’s got a great mentality and a great approach coming into everything right now.”

There is always going to be some slight differences when the man pulling the levers on game day changes, but this is not a full reboot like last season with Moore, who came from outside the organization.

Patullo has been deeply involved in the Eagles’ passing game with Hurts during the entire Sirianni era, so there should be no feeling-out process.

There is change, though, but you have to dig deeper to find it.

Former Bowling Green head coach Scot Loeffler is the new position coach for Hurts and fellow QBs Tanner McKee, Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and Kyle McCord, while Parks Frazier, who has a history with Sirianni in Indianapolis, was brought in to handle Patullo’s old role as passing game coordinator.

“Things evolve and things change as time goes on,” Hurts said. “We’re just really delving into it. It’s really important. It’s something that I’ve learned, that you have to learn to evolve as time goes on. 

“So Coach Kevin Patullo in his new role, and him being the one in charge of the offensive leadership, you get new pieces and new ideas that come from everyone. So Coach Scot (Loeffler), another new quarterback coach who’s been great thus far. And Coach Parks Frazier, who’s been great as well.”

While it’s hardly scientific, Hurts did seem more relaxed at this transition vs. some of the previous ones, perhaps a nod to the foundation and familiarity Patullo provides.

“The bigger picture is just taking it a day at a time, truly, and keeping the main thing the main thing,” Hurts said. “I think that’s where we are. Everyone’s in a good place. Everyone’s focused. And everyone cares about their duties in what they’re supposed to do.”

Last year at this time there was a little more angst with the different terminology brought from outside the building by Moore, and the end game was the Lombardi Trophy, so there are no iron-clad guarantees from early returns.

Uncertainty being swapped out for comfort seems like a positive, however.

“It’s so early in this process,” Hurts said. “It’s still early in building this thing that we want it to be ultimately, it’ll be a collaborative effort. It’ll take everybody being on the same page again to see what this iteration of this team will be.”