Drew Brees criticizes Jalen Hurts for sliding instead of lowering head

Drew Brees was on the call for the Philadelphia Eagles-Tennessee Titans game in Week 2 alongside Adam Amin. Brees took over Mark Sanchez‘s spot in the FOX booth following his arrest last November.

Brees, a Hall of Famer, offered some criticism of Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts on Sunday after he failed to pick up a first down. Hurts decided to slide and try to protect himself as multiple defenders closed on him short of the first down line.

“Lower your shoulder and go get the first down” – Drew Brees did NOT like Jalen Hurts protecting himself with a slide in the second quarter of Week 2 against the Titans pic.twitter.com/q8nePomNdP

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 20, 2026

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“Lower your shoulder and go get the first down” – Drew Brees did NOT like Jalen Hurts protecting himself with a slide in the second quarter of Week 2 against the Titans pic.twitter.com/q8nePomNdP

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 20, 2026

“So I was hyping up Jalen Hurts, but now I’m gonna get on him,” said Brees. “Lower your shoulder and go get the first down. You slide they’re going to mark the ball where you started the slide, not where you end the slide. So it’s not a Tush Push situation. It’s not fourth and one. It’s fourth and three.”

It certainly feels like an odd criticism for Hurts, a guy who is pretty well known for regularly driving his body headfirst into the pile on the most notorious play of the 2020’s.

Especially in this situation. Hurts promptly completed a pass to Dontavyion Wicks on the next play to extend the drive. And the Eagles finished the 14-play, 81-yard drive with a touchdown a few minutes later.

Brees is one of the greatest quarterbacks ever, but he had 127 rushing first downs in two decades in the NFL. Hurts, one game into his seventh season, already had 334. If he thinks he should slide, he’s earned the right.