One part of the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense needs to be addressed, and it has flown under the radar for way too long. Jalen Hurts isn’t running the football anymore. Not like he used to, anyway. For a quarterback whose legs helped carry Philadelphia to the top of the NFC, the drop in Hurts’ rushing attempts is one of the strangest storylines of this Eagles’ season. The explanations from Hurts and offensive coordinator Sean Mannion only make it stranger.

Jalen Hurts’ rushing numbers keep sliding

Let’s look at the trend. Hurts ran the ball 165 times for 760 yards in 2022. The following season, he carried it 157 times for 605 yards. In 2024, it was 150 carries for 630 yards. Last season, the number fell to 105 carries for 421 yards.

Through the first five games of this season? Just 23 runs.

That is a steep decline, and it raises an obvious question. Why?

A year or two ago, there was a lot of chatter about it. Some people believed Hurts was telling the team he didn’t want to run because he was worried about getting hurt. On the flip side, others believed the coaching staff was the one pulling back to keep him healthy. Nobody really knew which side it was.

Hurts was asked about it at the end of last season, and he didn’t take ownership of the drop:

“No, the season has just gone the way it is,” Hurts said. “The approach this year, the way the games have been called, it’s just kind of gone that way. I’m giving it my best with the position that they have put me in.”

Then, after Philly’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he got the same question. Was his lack of running a personal choice?

“Never a personal choice,” Hurts explained. “Never a personal choice. Just some things you have to be put in position to use.”

So there you go. Hurts is putting this squarely on the coaching staff.

Never a personal choice, so whose choice is it?

Here’s the thing. If it’s never a personal choice, maybe Hurts needs to make it one.

I’m not saying he should freelance on every snap. But this is a team captain and a Super Bowl MVP. Maybe he needs to take a little more authority here and show some leadership in this area. If the Eagles don’t want to call designed quarterback runs, call your own number. Tuck it and go when the lane is there. Sometimes, a quarterback has to go a little rogue to get the offense moving.

And the coaching staff isn’t exactly giving us a straight answer either. Mannion was recently asked about getting Hurts more involved on the ground, and here’s what he said:

“We’re always looking for ways to integrate him into the run game,” Mannion explained. “It’s a unique trait that he has.”

Yeah, exactly. It’s a unique trait. So why isn’t Philadelphia using it?

Look, I understand the concern. Hurts is 28 years old, and nobody wants to see him get banged up. I’m not asking for 18 carries a game. But his legs have been one of the most lethal weapons on this roster throughout his career. He’s a dual-threat quarterback. That’s who he is.

When your offense is already terrible, taking away another element that keeps defenses honest only limits you more. Right now, opposing defensive coordinators don’t even have to give Hurts’ legs a second thought. No spy. No extra attention. That makes life easier for every defense the Eagles face, and it strips a ton of versatility out of an offense that desperately needs some.

Hurts is at his best when he’s a threat with his legs

At the end of the day, Hurts has played his best football when he’s been both a very good thrower and a very good runner. That’s when he moves the sticks. That’s when defenses have to keep a spy on him and play him honest. That’s when the whole offense opens up for everybody else.

This team keeps talking about running the football more and committing to the ground game. We’ve heard it over and over. But the quarterback who has been one of the most effective runners in franchise history keeps getting fewer and fewer carries.

Hurts says it’s not his call. Mannion says they’re always looking for ways to get him involved. And yet the carries keep disappearing.

The facts don’t add up. Until the Eagles start letting Hurts be Hurts again, this offense is going to keep playing with one hand tied behind its back.