Eagles Running Back Miles Sanders Speaks Out on Decision to Bench Jalen Hurts
You can add members of the Philadelphia Eagles organization to the growing list of dumbfounded people who wondered why head coach Doug Pederson benched starting quarterback Jalen Hurts for seldom-used backup Nate Sudfeld with the Eagles down three points against the Washington Football Team at the start of the fourth quarter.
“Man, if I’m being honest, nobody liked the decision. Nobody,” running back Miles Sanders said in an interview on SportsRadio 94 WIP in Philadelphia. “That’s all I can say really. I don’t know who was the main person behind that decision. All I know is a lot of people on the team was confused.”
The decision, which may or may not have been Pederson’s alone, also reportedly angered players on the Eagles sideline when it was made, according to Philadelphia Inquirer beat writer Jeff McLane, who reported that two defensive players were ready to confront Pederson while center Jason Kelce and another offensive starter went to the coach to question the decision.
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Pederson claimed after the game he was coaching to win. Still, the loss to the Football Team not only knocked the Giants, arguably the Eagles’ most hated rival, out of the playoffs, it also resulted in a higher draft spot for the Eagles, who pick sixth instead of ninth.
Giants head coach Joe Judge, who never referenced the Eagles or Pederson by name, didn’t hold back when the matter was brought up.
"There's a number of sacrifices been made by all the players and coaches in this league. There are number of sacrifices that come along as well with the family members of the people connected to them,” Judge said.
"To disrespect the effort that everyone put forward to make this season a success for the National Football League, to disrespect the game by going out there and not competing for 60 minutes and doing everything you can to help those players win--we will never do that as long as I'm the head coach of the New York Giants."
Sanders was inactive for the Eagles’ game against Washington due to an injury.
