There is a uniquely hollow feeling that comes with handing a player a massive contract extension, only to watch his performance collapse soon after — a feeling that cuts even deeper when it coincides with a season unraveling in real time.
That’s exactly where many Philadelphia Eagles fans found themselves in 2025, watching Cam Jurgens struggle through the most disappointing year of his career just months after signing a four-year, $68 million extension in April.
Jurgens, a two-time Pro Bowl center, never looked comfortable as the Eagles’ offense sputtered. His regression became even harder to explain when he was somehow selected to the Pro Bowl for a second straight season — a nod that confused observers more than it validated his play.
“Nobody on the Eagles roster took a bigger step back than Cam Jurgens,” Bleacher Report’s Thomas Petersen wrote. “They made him the second-highest-paid center, and for most of the season he was downright unplayable. Huge question mark heading into next year.”
Online Backlash Explodes After Playoff Loss
The criticism escalated sharply after Philadelphia’s season ended with a home NFC Wild Card loss to the San Francisco 49ers. As emotions boiled over, Jurgens became one of the primary lightning rods for fan frustration.
Much of the online backlash followed a viral prompt from sports content creator Brandon Carney on X, who asked NFL fans: “Who was the absolute worst offensive lineman in the league this year? Like straight-up turnstile, couldn’t stop a nosebleed type of guy?”
Jurgens’ name surfaced repeatedly.
According to Pro Football Focus, Jurgens finished the season with a 63.4 overall grade, ranking 21st out of 40 qualifying centers — hardly elite territory.
Eagles fan account Bleed Green 698 labeled him “the worst run blocker in the league this season.”
Bleeding Green Nation’s Brandon Lee Gowton called Jurgens’ Pro Bowl selection “inexplicable.”
The Philly Pod’s Victor Williams echoed the sentiment, saying he had “no idea” how Jurgens made the Pro Bowl.
One fan, Charles Myers, went further, citing blocking metrics that placed Jurgens dead last among qualifying centers, while also pointing out struggles across the line. “I love Howie,” Myers wrote, referencing GM Howie Roseman, “but let’s not spin his whiffs as genius.”
Pro Bowl Nod Triggers Major Financial Consequences
Ironically, Jurgens’ controversial Pro Bowl selection didn’t just raise eyebrows — it increased his earnings.
As reported by Philly Nation, Jurgens currently has $14.8 million guaranteed on his deal. If he remains on the roster on March 13, the third day of the league year, a $14.75 million roster bonus for 2027 becomes fully guaranteed. On top of that, a Pro Bowl escalator clause in his contract boosts each roster bonus by an additional $500,000.
In short, a season many fans viewed as disastrous could end up locking Philadelphia even deeper into Jurgens financially.
Roster Questions Loom Large for Eagles
As the Eagles search for a new offensive coordinator and reassess the direction of an offense that never found consistency, Jurgens’ struggles are unlikely to be ignored.
Back in November, frustration had already reached a boiling point. Eagles commentator Anthony DiBona summed up the mood bluntly: the team was winning games, yet fans were calling for OC Kevin Patullo’s replacement, lineup changes on the offensive line, and a complete reevaluation of personnel decisions.
What once looked like a cornerstone extension now sits at the center of an uncomfortable conversation in Philadelphia — one that blends performance, perception, and payroll.
For Jurgens and the Eagles, 2026 may not just be about improvement. It may be about restoring trust that vanished almost as quickly as the ink dried on a $68 million deal.
