On Monday the NFL Network revealed the Top 5 of its NFL 100 list. And while most expected Kansas City Chiefs quarterback and reigning NFL and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes to be No. 1, not many could’ve predicted Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Hurts — a 2022 NFL MVP finalist — being in the top three and ahead of other star quarterbacks like the Joe Burrow Bengals and Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
In fact, the only player in between Mahomes at No. 1 and Hurts at No. 3 was Vikings star wideout Justin Jefferson who finished fifth in MVP voting while being named Offensive Player of the Year.
Hurts at No. 3 can be attributed to the work the former Heisman runner-up has put into his craft.
Should Hurts Be That High?
Hurts should be in the top 10, but not ahead of either Burrow or Allen.
His peers, however, think otherwise and they choose the list. It’s clear that Hurts is not only a great player, but beloved throughout the league. In fact, many of his peers raved about the Eagles’ talented signal-caller.
“I think you gotta show love to to Jalen Hurts,” Saints linebacker Demario Davis said.
“When you’re around people of his caliber, you’re not surprised when they have success,” said Commanders defensive lineman Jonathan Allen. “If you truly see how they work, you’re not surprised at all.”
Hurts’ greatest compliment may have come from Chiefs All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones, who faced him in the Super Bowl.
Jones, who’s currently holding out, didn’t hesitate to give Hurts some love for his Super Bowl performance. Even though Hurts came out on the losing end, Jones asserted that the former Alabama and Oklahoma QB was the best player on the field.
“He had the best performance in the Super Bowl that I’ve ever seen of a quarterback — running the ball, throwing the ball. He balled out.”
In the game, Hurts tallied a total of 374 yards (304 passing and 70 rushing). He also accounted for four touchdowns, including a Super Bowl record three on the ground.
Teammates Say Hurts Could Care Less About Ranking
Touted for his maturity and his thirst to improve, Hurts has never been one to rest on his laurels or chase accolades His teammates say he’s only focused on winning.
“He doesn’t care about any of that,” Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert said after Tuesday’s training camp practice. “He’s worried about one thing, and that’s winning and becoming a great player. Getting the glory, getting the MVP runner-up, those accolades that are incredible, and I’m sure he’s very thankful for them. But they don’t mean anything to him.
“He wants to win: he wants to win Super Bowls — he wants to be a great quarterback that way,” Goedert added.
Hurts is receiving plenty of praise after his stellar performance last season, but he still has some unfinished business on Super Sunday. Let’s see if he can close the deal.
