Critics Slam 'Hypocritical' Coverage Led by ESPN's Mike Greenberg, Who Excuses Josh Allen's Struggles While Dismissing Hurts' Dominance

December 1, 2025 | Philadelphia – As the Philadelphia Eagles cling to an 8-4 record in the 2025 NFL season, quarterback Jalen Hurts finds himself at the center of a firestorm of criticism from national media personalities. Despite leading his team to a Super Bowl victory last February and earning the game's Most Valuable Player honors, Hurts has endured a barrage of scrutiny that many insiders and fans argue is disproportionate—and tinged with racial undertones. Leading the charge is ESPN's Mike Greenberg, whose year-long pattern of downplaying Hurts' achievements while offering endless excuses for Buffalo Bills counterpart Josh Allen has ignited widespread backlash.

The controversy reached a boiling point this week following the Eagles' gritty 27-24 win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday, where Hurts threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for 62 yards and a score. Yet, post-game analysis on ESPN's Get Up—hosted by Greenberg—quickly pivoted to Hurts' "decision-making lapses," including a late interception that nearly cost Philadelphia the game. "Hurts is a game-manager at best right now," Greenberg declared on air, echoing a sentiment he's voiced repeatedly since the offseason. "He's got the tools, but when the lights get brightest, does he really elevate?"

This isn't an isolated incident. Since the dawn of the 2025 campaign, Greenberg has made it a staple of his show to question Hurts' elite status. In July, during a segment on ESPN's executive-voted Top 10 QBs list, Greenberg dismissed Hurts' placement at No. 4, calling it "overinflated" due to his "run-heavy crutch." He contrasted it sharply with Josh Allen, ranked No. 2, whom he praised as "the most dynamic arm in the league—bar none." Fast-forward to September, after Allen's Bills suffered a 31-10 thrashing at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs—complete with two interceptions and a fumble—Greenberg leaped to his defense on *The Greeny Show* podcast. "Josh Allen doesn't make mistakes; the scheme lets him down," he insisted, even suggesting that in a "better system like Philly's," Allen would be "the undisputed MVP frontrunner."

The disparity is stark. Hurts, a Black quarterback who shattered records en route to Super Bowl LVIII glory—passing for 304 yards and three scores while adding 45 rushing yards in a 38-21 rout of the Ravens—boasts a resume few peers can match: two-time Pro Bowler, 2022 NFL rushing leader among QBs, and now a defending champion steering a contender toward the playoffs. Yet, his completion percentage dipping to 64% this season has become fodder for endless hot takes, while Allen's league-leading 18 interceptions and turnover differential (minus-7) are routinely waved away as "products of aggressive brilliance."

Eagles fans and analysts aren't buying it. "It's the same old script," said former NFL quarterback and Get Up contributor Dan Orlovsky during a recent panel. "We kill guys like Jalen for not being perfect, but give Josh a pass because he's 'exciting.' Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, Matthew Stafford—none of them win enough in Detroit or Dallas. But Josh? 'He doesn't win enough' gets spun into a narrative of untapped potential. Meanwhile, Lamar [Jackson] and Jalen can't win the big one? Please." Orlovsky's comments, delivered with visible frustration, underscore a broader sentiment echoed in Philadelphia Tribune columnist Akeem Spivey's recent op-ed: "The Hurts disrespect must cease. It's not just unfair—it's exhausting, and yes, it smells like bias."

The racial dimension has been impossible to ignore. Social media erupted after Greenberg's latest Hurts critique, with #JusticeForJalen trending nationwide. Users pointed to a pattern: Black quarterbacks like Hurts, Jackson, and Houston's C.J. Stroud face microscopic examination of their "flaws," while white stars like Allen and Cincinnati's Joe Burrow receive the benefit of contextual excuses. "Greenberg's been trashing Hurts since training camp—calling his Super Bowl MVP a 'fluke' propped up by Saquon Barkley—while Allen fumbles the ball weekly and it's 'genius under pressure,'" tweeted Eagles safety Darius Slay. "This ain't football analysis; it's coded racism. Fix it, ESPN."

Greenberg's history amplifies the concerns. A self-professed die-hard New York Jets fan, he's long championed Allen, once ripping up scripted notes on Get Up in December 2023 to defend the Bills QB against "unfair" turnover scrutiny. "If Josh were in Philly or Kansas City, we'd call him the GOAT already," he ranted then, comparing Allen's situation to legends like Patrick Mahomes. This season, that favoritism has intensified; in a September 2025 episode, Greenberg went viral for declaring, "No one has ever played that position better than Josh Allen"—a hyperbolic claim that drew mockery from fans and even co-host Bart Scott, who countered with nods to Jackson and Chargers' Justin Herbert.

ESPN has not commented on the brewing scandal, but sources close to the network say internal discussions about "balanced QB coverage" are underway. For his part, Hurts has remained stoic, addressing the noise after practice Monday: "I've got rings and stats that speak louder than talk radio. My focus is the team, the fans, and finishing what we started last year." Teammate Saquon Barkley, acquired in the offseason to bolster the backfield, added fuel to the fire: "Jalen's the reason we're 8-4. Critics can hate, but they ain't in the huddle."

As the Eagles prepare for a crucial Thursday night clash with the rival Cowboys, the narrative rages on. Will the media's microscope finally crack under the weight of its own inconsistencies? For Hurts—a trailblazer who rose from Oklahoma's backup shadows to NFL royalty—the answer may lie not in headlines, but in the hardware he stacks come February. In a league where Black quarterbacks hold just 12 of 32 starting jobs, his story is bigger than one critic's bias. It's a reminder that excellence, once achieved, demands respect—not excuses for others.