December 17, 2023
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Denny Medley/USA TODAY Sports
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts has been downgraded to questionable for Monday night with an illness.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts' sickness has gotten worse and he has been downgraded to questionable for Monday night's game in Seattle, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Hurts is still hoping to play against the Seahawks, but is flying out separately from the team in an effort to prevent anyone else from getting sick.
In the event that he can't, the Eagles will have to turn to backup Marcus Mariota.
Eagles are downgrading QB Jalen Hurts to questionable for Monday night’s game in Seattle after his sickness worsened overnight, per a source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 17, 2023
Hurts still is harboring hopes of playing Monday night, and is traveling to Seattle separately from the team so as to try not get anyone… pic.twitter.com/fdtOTgRWUR
Mariota briefly saw some playing time a couple of weeks ago in the 42-19 loss to San Francisco, completing 2-of-3 passes for 16 yards before Hurts was able to check back in after clearing concussion testing.
The Eagles signed Mariota in the offseason to keep a reliable veteran option behind Hurts who also offered a somewhat similar fit within the offense, but he struggled during the preseason, which led to concern over how he would hold up with the starters if Hurts ever went down.
The Eagles might be facing the prospect of finding out, and just ahead of a crucial home stretch to the regular season with the No. 1 seed in the NFC on the line.
If Hurts ends up unable to play on Monday night, this will be the third straight season where the Eagles have had to go at least a game without their No. 1 QB under center – either due to injury, or in this case, illness.
In 2021, Gardner Minshew did admirably in a spot start against the Jets to send the Eagles off to a 33-18 win.
But in 2022, while Hurts was out with a shoulder sprain, Minshew and the Eagles struggled against Dallas and then New Orleans, dropping back-to-back games late in the season. This led Hurts to return for Week 18 against the Giants, securing the NFC East title and the conference's No. 1 seed in the playoffs with one more win.
The Eagles finished last season 14-3 and will likely need to do so again to reclaim the No. 1 seed and that ever-important first-round bye in the playoffs along with it.
And it was proven after last season that Hurts gives them their best shot.
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