Troy Aikman says Jalen Hurts can handle any offensive system

Few quarterbacks in modern NFL history have dealt with as much offensive turnover and media scrutiny as Jalen Hurts, but Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman believes the Eagles star is more than capable of handling yet another transition. While appearing on ESPN's Get Up with Mike Greenberg on Tuesday morning, Aikman discussed the challenges Hurts has faced throughout both college and the NFL while preparing to work with another new offensive coordinator, Sean Mannion.

“I believe Jalen can do anything that he's asked to do,” Aikman said while praising Hurts’ adaptability and work ethic.

Aikman emphasized how rare it is for a quarterback to experience this much coordinator turnover early in a career. Hurts has now played under seven offensive coordinators in seven NFL seasons, while also dealing with multiple play-callers (4) throughout his college career at Alabama and Oklahoma. The Hall of Fame quarterback contrasted Hurts' situation with legendary quarterbacks like Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Brett Favre, all of whom benefited from long-term offensive continuity for significant stretches of their careers.

Despite the constant yearly change, Aikman believes the Eagles have still done a strong job building offensive systems around Hurts' strengths. He pointed to Philadelphia's vertical passing concepts, outside-the-numbers throws, and two-by-two receiver sets as examples of how the organization has consistently tailored the offense to maximize Hurts' abilities. At the same time, Aikman expects the offense to evolve under Mannion in 2026. He specifically mentioned more under-center formations, increased play-action concepts, and a greater emphasis on attacking the middle of the field — all areas he believes Hurts can handle successfully.