Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts recently turned 25, and if you’ve ever watched him play, heard him talk or listened to how his coaches and teammates rave about his maturity, then you’ll see why he’s considered wise beyond his years.
While Hurts’ teammates have spent the entire offseason making excuses following the Eagles’ crushing 38-35 Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Hurts hasn’t.
In fact, the 2022 NFL MVP finalist has taken it upon himself to get better and to use the loss as motivation heading into the 2023 season.
He even has himself leaving the field as a lock screen on his cellphone. It’s all part of what Hurts so special and why the Eagles saw fit to sign him to the five-year, $255 million extension with $179 million guaranteed.
Hurts Hopes To Channel Inner MJ And Kobe In 2023
As the Eagles continue preparations for the 2023 season, Hurts is also making his media rounds.
Earlier this week, the 2019 Heisman runner-up told Peter King of Football Morning In America this:
“Every time you go into an offseason, for me at least, I look at guys like MJ and Kobe and how they diagnose their game,” Hurts said. “Obviously two different sports, but trying to get better at my strengths and then turning my weaknesses into my strengths. I’ve always been a unique player. But embracing the rarity of being a true triple-threat. Throwing, running and mind. For a long time people said guys like me couldn’t think or couldn’t process. Trying to put that to sleep.”
Hurts is correct. For years the stigma was that melanated, mobile QBs couldn’t process information well enough to beat a defense without using their athleticism to bail them out. Players like Hurts, Patrick Mahomes, Lamar Jackson and others are beginning to show that just isn’t true. It never was.
Hurts Made History In 2022
Hurts was remarkable in 2022 and while he didn’t win MVP or Super Bowl MVP, losing both to Mahomes isn’t too shabby. Patterning his approach after two of the greatest competitors in modern sports history isn’t a bad way to approach his career.
But not even Mahomes did what Hurts did by becoming the first player in NFL history to have a career total of 40 passing touchdowns and 30 rushing touchdowns prior to turning 25 years old. To us that’s great, but for Hurts that’s not why he plays the game.
