New Orleans (AFP) – Jalen Hurts has held a press conference every day this week in the build-up to the Super Bowl, and the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback has somehow managed to keep his name out of the headlines. That probably isn’t an accident. Hurts is in New Orleans with only one thing on his mind — beating the Kansas City Chiefs and winning the Super Bowl. Two years ago, when the same two teams met in the NFL’s biggest game, he had an outstanding day, running in three touchdowns, throwing for another, and putting up 374 total yards, but he still ended up on the losing team.
“I don’t play the game for stats. I don’t play the game for numbers,” he said. “Success is defined by that particular individual, and it’s all relative to the person. And what I define it as is winning.” Unlike many players who take advantage of the Super Bowl media spotlight to boost their profiles, Hurts has shown no interest in providing amusing stories or anecdotes, but his extreme focus is no facade. “The fun for me comes from winning,” Hurts said. “It comes from achieving success that I set out to achieve.”
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That’s the kind of talk his teammates are used to hearing. “He’s pretty much serious like that all the time, especially during the season,” says tight end Dallas Goedert. “If you go out and throw with him in the off-season, he loosens up a little bit, but no, it’s all business for that guy.” Doug Nussmeier, the quarterbacks coach in Philadelphia who works with Hurts every day, told AFP that his commitment to his craft was the first thing that struck him about the player.
“His work ethic stands out. The way he shows up at the facility early, leaves late, and he’s working on everything,” he said. “Working on his body from a standpoint of flexibility, mobility, strength. What is he doing in our room, in the quarterback room? He’s working on every facet of his game at all times.” Nussmeier believes that part of Hurts’s approach comes from playing in high-pressure environments from the outset of his career.
“The biggest thing is Jalen grew up around the game; his Dad was a coach. He played big-time Texas high school football, so from a young age he has learned how to play in these environments. He goes on from playing Texas high school football to the University of Alabama, then to Oklahoma and now you’re the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. So he has played in a lot of big games against a lot of really good players, just like we’re going to see this week. So he’s used to this environment.”
– ‘He’s well rounded’ – What will concern the Kansas City Chiefs defense is Hurts’s ability to transform himself from passer to rusher and exploit any gaps that open in front of him. When that’s allied with the NFL’s top running back in Saquon Barkley, it makes a highly effective combination that keeps defenses constantly on edge. “He can sit back there and be a pocket quarterback and he can beat you with his legs. He’s well rounded,” says Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Or, as Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata puts it: “If they respect Jalen they have to deal with Saquon, if they respect Saquon, they have to deal with Jalen.” Hurts is still only 26, but he knows that chances to win the Super Bowl are rare, and having been given a second opportunity, he is desperate to take it. “You sacrifice a lot, you put a lot in, work really hard to have this opportunity,” he said. “To do it and be back two times in four years is special, and the goal is to finish.”
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