Eagles’ Miles Sanders: ‘Nobody liked the decision’ to bench Hurts

A Philadelphia Eagles player has voiced their displeasure with the decision to bench starting quarterback Jalen Hurts in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Washington Football Team.


“If I’m being honest, nobody liked the decision, nobody,” Eagles running back Miles Sanders said Tuesday on 94WIP, a Philadelphia sports radio station. “That’s all I can say, really. I don’t know who was the main person behind that decision, but all I know is that a lot of people on the team was confused.”


The Eagles have been heavily criticized over the last two days after rookie Hurts was pulled late in a winnable game against Washington for third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld. Washington eventually won 20-14 and clinched the NFC East title as a result.


While a Monday report from the Philadelphia Inquirer indicates Eagles players were “shocked and outraged” by what unfolded in the game, Sanders is the first to speak out about the decision to bench Hurts. The 26-year-old Sanders did not play in Week 17 as he was one of nine Eagles ruled out on Friday due to injury.


Philadelphia had nothing on the line playoff-wise in Week 17, having already been eliminated from contention, but the game was far from meaningless — the division title was at stake. A win for Washington meant the Football Team clinched the NFC East, which it did, while an Eagles win would result in the New York Giants clinching the NFC’s final playoff spot. Instead, the 6-10 Giants missed out on the playoffs entirely.


As Sudfeld struggled in relief of Hurts, many took to social media — including Giants players — to voice their displeasure with the decision to seemingly throw the game a impacted nothing but Philadelphia’s place in next spring’s draft. The loss gave the Eagles the sixth pick in the NFL draft, while a victory would’ve dropped them to the ninth spot.


After the game, Eagles head coach Doug Pederson defended his decision, saying he “coached to win” and that Sudfeld “deserved an opportunity to get some snaps.” On Monday, defensive lineman Brandon Graham said he had known Sudfeld was going to play and was glad the quarterback got the opportunity.


— With files from The Associated Press