PHILADELPHIA — For a 24-year-old quarterback, Jalen Hurts has already done things a majority of players at the most important position in football will never do.
He made College Football Playoff appearances in all four seasons, with two different power five schools, became a Heisman finalist, an NFL MVP finalist, and is now an NFC champion playing in Super Bowl LVII.
However, those accolades haven’t been enough to discourage many from doubting Hurts. Ever since he was benched by Alabama in the 2019 National Championship game for Tua Tagovailoa, teams, media, and fans alike have all questioned what Nick Saban did that night.
Will Hurts ever become a good enough passer to make it at the next level? Will he be a player you win because of rather than just win with?
Fast forward four years later to his first appearance starting in a championship game since that battle with Georgia, Hurts has silenced all critics and is now favored to take down who has been seen as the NFL’s most talented passer of the last five years, in Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, to get the Eagles their second Super Bowl title since 2017.
Not only has he remained an elite mobile QB at the NFL level, but he has checked every box as a passer that most doubted he could. Even after missing two games, Hurts finished the 2022 season with a 66.5% completion percentage, 3,701 yards, 22 touchdowns, and just six interceptions.
Among starters, he had the third highest passer rating at 101.6, the second best yards per attempt at 8.0, and the second best touchdown to turnover ratio. Hurts also became one of the most efficient deep ball passers.
To take these significant steps in just one calendar year, considering the pressure Hurts had on his shoulders? It is an incredible story.
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Hurts was drafted by the Eagles to be a long term backup to Carson Wentz, and then had to take over when the Wentz-Doug Pederson era unexpectedly collapsed. A majority of the fanbase, media, and even the organization themselves doubted he would be the guy to get them out of such a dark period.
There were rumors of the Eagles trying to make things work with Wentz in 2021, exploring the possibility of moving up in the draft for now New York Jets QB Zach Wilson, and even trading for a veteran in Russell Wilson or Deshaun Watson this past offseason.
Then, there was the trade with New Orleans in the spring that gave the Eagles a second first round pick in the 2023 draft, in which many believed there were a few talented arms available.
It appeared that Philadelphia would give Hurts one more season to prove he can be a franchise QB or they would use their two Day 1 picks to go get their future starter.
To have that kind of pressure in Philadelphia? It isn’t easy to overcome. Ask a lot of players what it is like if you are doubted in this city.
But then again, maybe it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Hurts overcame those obstacles.
When has the NFL seen a 24-year old with this kind of maturity, confidence, and composure? Nobody puts more pressure on Hurts than himself. Even look at some of the Eagles biggest wins in 2022. He was never satisfied. He would always say the goal post needs to be moved, and that the team hadn't played to their standard yet.
It almost feels like Hurts was made for this situation, like he was made for Philadelphia.
It is why this team has completely bought in to their new leader and are now representing the NFC in Arizona for Super Bowl LVII.
Can Hurts cap off this incredible story by hoisting the Lombardi trophy under midnight green confetti?
We will find out in less than two weeks.