New Eagles OC Mannion starting out on optimistic note with Hurts

PHILADELPHIA -- New Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion spoke in glowing terms about quarterback Jalen Hurts in his long-awaited introductory news conference Thursday, nearly four months after landing the gig.

Mannion, 34, is expected to install an offensive system more in the Sean McVay/Kyle Shanahan mold, leaning into elements such as motion and under center setups that haven't always been prominently featured in the Hurts/Nick Sirianni era. Mannion, though, believes Hurts' skill set can be a good fit for the scheme.

"Jalen's been awesome. I really think he can do anything we ask of him," the coordinator said. "He's accurate. He's a great athlete. He really attacks the fundamentals. That's what's been really fun to watch these last two weeks of Phase 2.

"He's always wanting more things to work on, wanting more things regarding fundamentals, timing, understanding the scheme. He's hungry for more. Those are the guys that are really fun to work with."

Mannion is taking over an ultra-talented group that underperformed in 2024, leading to the firing of OC Kevin Patullo. Philadelphia had the most expensive offensive roster in the NFL but finished 19th in points per game (22.3), 24th in total offense (311 yards per game), 23rd in passing (194 YPG) and first in three-and-outs.

There were myriad reasons for the downturn, from injuries along the offensive front to coaching shortfalls. The offense grew stale. Some of the internal frustration was directed toward Hurts, whose strong preferences for how the operation should look played a part in the offense becoming calcified, sources said.

One team source, though, said Hurts is "as open as he's ever been to changes."

Early signs indicate the Hurts/Mannion collaboration is going well.

"It starts really just connecting with him on a personal level, get to know him, get to know what his interests are, what makes him tick. Then once you start to get to know a guy on a personal level, I think the football connection becomes pretty easy," Mannion said. "It's been a great process with Jalen. He's been a pleasure to work with, and really since I got the job, being able to connect with him on a personal level and then on football has been great."

Mannion is a former signal-caller himself. The Oregon State product was a third-round pick of the St. Louis Rams in 2015 and played nine years in the league. He started his coaching career in 2024 as an offensive assistant for the Green Bay Packers and was elevated to quarterbacks coach last season.

The rise has been rapid for Mannion, the son of a high school football coach who started writing scouting notes and drawing up plays on a legal pad when he was around 6 years old. He exuded confidence in his first meeting with the Philadelphia media, noting that he has long known he would eventually get into coaching and has planned accordingly over the years.

Mannion will be Hurts' sixth playcaller since the quarterback entered the league in 2020.

"Jalen's been outstanding in the meetings, and I think having gone through multiple coordinators and stuff, you can tell he's a really capable learner," Mannion said.

"He has a great process in the meetings. He always asks really, really thought-provoking questions. He's detailed and attacks his fundamentals. He's always a guy who stays after practice and is working on things. Those are the guys you love to work with."br/]