PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is not expected to play Saturday because of a sprained right shoulder, putting Gardner Minshew in line to start against the Dallas Cowboys.
Hurts was injured on a hard tackle during Sunday’s win at Chicago. The Eagles have the best record in the NFL at 13-1 and would clinch the NFC East title and the No. 1 seed in the conference with a win against the Cowboys.
“It’s looking like it’s going to be Gardner,” Eagles coach Nick Sirianni said Thursday.
The 24-year-old Hurts said he grasped he was injured the moment he was tackled by defensive tackle Travis Gipson. He stayed in the game and went 7-of-10 passing for 110 yards — and hit wide receiver A.J. Brown for a 68-yard reception.
“He’s disappointed because he wants to play. He’s the toughest guy I know,” Sirianni said. “We have to do what’s best as an organization to put him in a safe spot.”
Hurts has passed for 22 touchdowns and 3,472 yards, and he also has rushed for 747 yards and 13 touchdowns. His 35 total touchdowns this season is tied for the franchise record set by Randall Cunningham in 1990.
“Jalen did everything he possibly could to get his body ready to go,” Sirianni said. “At the end of the day, he’s not going to be able to do it. He tried like crazy. I know he still wants to go. That’s just the toughness. Jalen Hurts is the toughest player I’ve ever been around.”
Hurts suffered an ankle injury and missed a game last season against the New York Jets. Minshew, a former starter with Jacksonville, was 20 of 25 for 242 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-18 victory on the road.
“Gardner is going to be our guy, Gardner will be ready,” Sirianni said. “He’s ready to go.”
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