Deshaun Watson turned down Eagles out of loyalty to Jalen Hurts?

The Philadelphia Eagles were among the teams frequently linked to a trade for Deshaun Watson. However, there were consistent reports that Watson was unwilling to trade his no-trade clause for a move to Philadelphia. A new report Monday suggests a surprising reason for that stance.

The Eagles were “turned down in five minutes” by Watson’s camp and were swiftly denied the chance to meet with the quarterback, according to John McMullen of Philly Voice. The reason for Watson’s adamant stance had to do with current Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts. Watson and Hurts share the same quarterback trainer and have a strong relationship, and according to McMullen, Watson did not want to come in and take Hurts’ job.

Watson may have backed off on his stance had the Eagles been the only team legitimately interested in him. However, it became clear that Watson had his choice of suitors, which meant he could hold firm on his refusal to consider Philadelphia.

The Eagles have been doubling down on their support for Hurts since the end of the season. Maybe they were aware of Watson’s thinking, though it does seem they were checking in on his status until he was ultimately traded to Cleveland. If that’s the case, Hurts may have Watson to thank for still having a starting job, at least in Philadelphia.