There’s a certain arrogance that can come with achieving success, but claiming to be the greatest sportswriter ever is a stretch. Jason Whitlock recently stated on the Sage Steele podcast that he holds that title. Jason, have you heard of the late Ralph Wiley? But let’s not drift too far from the main point.
After Whitlock delivered yet another rant about Stephen A. Smith, the ESPN host and podcaster responded with a measured but pointed takedown—not as explicit or explosive as his response from a year ago, but sharp enough. At one point, Smith even said there was “a place in hell” for Whitlock.
Within this broader sports-media climate—especially in the Philadelphia market—former NFL Pro Bowl linebacker turned independent media voice Seth Joyner stepped in to defend a report from longtime Eagles insider Derrick Gunn. Gunn had reported frustration within the Eagles organization regarding quarterback Jalen Hurts and the team’s overall dynamics. Joyner backed Gunn’s credibility, stressing that Gunn’s long-standing relationships inside the building make his reporting legitimate, not rumor-mongering.
Both Joyner and Gunn were fixtures of Eagles coverage for years on what was once Comcast SportsNet, now NBC Sports Philadelphia. They currently co-host The Seth Joyner Show on YouTube and PHL17, and after leaving NBC also contributed to Eagles coverage on Jakib Sports.
Gunn has gone as far as to call the situation “Carson Wentz Part 2.” He also claims the Eagles are unwilling to cut or trade Hurts because of the massive salary-cap implications. This, of course, is about the Super Bowl–winning MVP quarterback. Wentz had an MVP-caliber season in 2017 before getting injured, and the Eagles ultimately won their first Super Bowl with backup Nick Foles. (Video clips of all of these reports are linked below.) The Eagles ultimately drafted Hurts the following year as Wentz’s backup; then traded Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts for an impressive haul of draft picks, setting them up for their second Super Bowl championship.
But Seth—did you really have to go to The Walrus? Sure, you discussed the story on SportsRadio 94WIP, which makes sense. But choosing to appear on Jason Whitlock’s podcast feels like a reach and ultimately undermines the credibility of the conversation. Whitlock himself admits that the peak of his career was nearly 20 years ago, when he wrote about Don Imus’ comments toward the Rutgers women’s basketball team and was invited onto Oprah in 2007. These days, Whitlock just exudes desperation.
Here are the initial reports that were said about Jalen Hurts on The Seth Joyner Show along with current player Jordan Mailata’s reaction to the story.
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