The Ben Simmons Comparison for Jalen Hurts Is Uncomfortable — and Accurate

The Comparison Nobody Wanted to Hear

Mike Gill didn't mince words on Birds 365 Tuesday morning. After reading ESPN's explosive report on Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' offensive dysfunction, the 97.3 ESPN radio host went straight to the most uncomfortable comparison available in Philadelphia sports: Ben Simmons.

"It's like Ben Simmons. I don't need to shoot. I'm still an All-Star," Gill said. "And people say, yeah, but you could be an elite player if you incorporated this. Well, I don't need to."

The parallel is striking. Simmons had generational talent as a playmaker and defender, reached three All-Star games, but stubbornly refused to develop a jump shot. Hurts won a Super Bowl playing a specific brand of football, and according to the ESPN report, has consistently resisted expanding beyond it.

Where the Comparison Gets Uncomfortable

Gill pushed the analogy further: "This is almost what you're hearing here — I won a Super Bowl doing this. I don't need to do that. And it's like, do you want to win one Super Bowl? Do you want to just be the guy that won one?"

The ESPN report detailed how Hurts fought Kellen Moore on motion concepts in 2024, continually resists going under center because he doesn't like turning his back to the defense, and suggested the four verticals play that ended the Eagles' season against San Francisco.

A source close to Hurts acknowledged he had "too many yes people around him" — language that echoes the enabling environment around Simmons in his final seasons with the Sixers.

The Critical Difference

There is one major difference that makes Hurts' situation more fixable: Simmons' shooting deficiency was a skill limitation. Hurts' resistance appears to be a preference. He has shown the ability to make plays under center and execute play-action — he just doesn't want to do it consistently.

That distinction matters. Sean Mannion's McVay-Shanahan system demands exactly what Hurts has resisted. If the ESPN report is accurate about the degree of pushback, the 2026 season becomes the ultimate test of whether Hurts can evolve past his comfort zone.

Simmons never did. Philadelphia is hoping Hurts is different.