Could Justin Fields Be A Jalen Hurts Replacement In Philadelphia?

After a somewhat dynamic start to his NFL career with the Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs' backup quarterback Justin Fields, who is still just 27 years old, appears to be settling into the nomad/hired-gun stage of his profession.

After three seasons, 38 starts and a 10-28 record in Chicago, Fields spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets, respectively, going a 6-9 in 15 starts before arriving in Kansas City via trade in March.

At the time, Fields was seen as a contingency plan should Patrick Mahomes not recover in time from his December knee surgery to reclaim the starting role when the 2026 season commenced. Mahomes is so back for the 5-0 Chiefs, however, that Fields has seen the field just once in five games, taking one snap in Week 1's 31-10 defeat of the Denver Broncos.

But with Mahomes healthy and 2026 seventh-round draft pick Garrett Nussmeier showing some chops in the preseason - 44-for-70 (62.9%) passing for 370 yards in 135 plays under center - the Chiefs might have a younger QB2 of the future already in the fold.

That makes one wonder, could Fields be on the move again?

Well, if he is to depart there is a possibility he could head east to Philadelphia where the Eagles announced on Monday that quarterback Jalen Hurts was out for the season after blood clots were found in his lungs.

Hurts' loss was just the latest blow in an Eagles' season that has started to go off the rails. After starting 2-0, they have lost four consecutive games while averaging 14.5 points per contest.

Against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, a 25-14 home loss, the Eagles started career backup Tanner McKee in place of Hurts and the results were not pretty: 26-for-25 for 215 yards and a touchdown, but with a subpar 4.8 yards per attempt. He especially struggled under pressure, taking three sacks and going 6-for-15 for 63 yards when trying to avoid the rush.

While Hurts' unavailability and the Eagles' 2-4 record screams "lost season," they do reside in the putrid NFC East where they are only 1.5 games behind the first-place New York Giants (3-2-1) and tied for second with the Dallas Cowboys, who they host on Monday night. That is also the first of three straight NFC East contests with the Washington Commandeers and New York Giants next up on the slate.

So, with the division title and a playoff spot still within reach, and an aggressive general manager in Howie Roseman, might the Eagles initiate an external search for a Hurts replacement and might Fields be an option?

At least two outlets give credence to the possibility.

Writing for The Sporting News, Vinnie Iyer lists Fields as one of six possible Hurts replacements the Eagles should consider, saying: "Should the Eagles go outside the organization and look to make a reasonable trade, getting Fields from the Chiefs makes the most sense. Kansas City is high on its third-string rookie Garrett Nussmeier as a true multiple-season backup for Patrick Mahomes. The biggest appeal of turning to Fields is helping the Eagles change to more designed quarterback runs to compensate for Hurts. Fields is also capable enough as a passer to get it done downfield, throwing to [DeVonta] Smith and [Dallas] Goedert. This may be Fields' best shot to prove himself as a winning starter in the league."

That sentiment was echoed Christian D'Andrea of For The Win, who listed a trade for Fields at No. 3 among six Philadelphia options for a Hurts fill-in.

"[Fields'] dual-threat capabilities would allow [coach Nick] Sirianni to keep aspects of Hurts' offense installed and make for an easier transition should Fields join his third locker room of the past year," said D'Andrea's report. "If the Chiefs believe Garrett Nussmeier can handle QB2 duties, he may be available."

Decisions on both sides will need to be made relatively quickly as the trade deadline is set for Tuesday, Nov. 10.