Jalen Hurts: Still Winning But Waiting for That Ultimate Crown
Look, Jalen Hurts smiles—a rare, almost mythical thing in pro sports—when Nick Sirianni, the Eagles’ coach, goes full banshee mode on the podium after winning the NFC Championship. Sirianni screams, “All he does is win.” And honestly? He’s not wrong.
Here’s the kicker: Hurts is 89-27 as a starter in college and the NFL combined. Yeah, the numbers are shouting loud and clear that Jalen is a winner, even if some fans and pundits keep whispering doubts like nosy neighbors spying through blinds.
But there’s one glaring hole in his sparkling résumé — the elusive Super Bowl ring. Now, before you start clutching your pearls, understand this: he’s got another crack at it. On February 9, 2025, the Eagles (17-3) will take on Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs (17-2) in New Orleans. The rematch. The ultimate test. The showdown everyone’s been drooling over.
Two years ago, Hurts threw for 304 yards and a touchdown, ran for 70 yards and three scores, but also fumbled at the worst possible time, costing the Eagles dearly as the Chiefs stormed back for a 38-35 victory. That gut-wrenching loss still burns in Philly’s hearts like a hot Philadelphia cheesesteak left out in the sun.
Coming close is no longer good enough in this city. Eagles fans are as passionate as a raging thunderstorm, and they measure success by championship parades, confetti bombs, and, well, sanity retention.
Hurts’ phone wallpaper is a defiant snapshot of himself walking off the field with red and yellow confetti cascading down—like he’s declaring, “I’m coming back for that shiny ring.” His mantra? “The mission is to take advantage of the opportunities presented.” And trust me, he’s got a toolbox stuffed with memories and grit from battles past to keep driving himself and his teammates forward.
Let me take you on Jalen’s rollercoaster journey — one packed with twists, setbacks, and absurd plot lines. Freshman year at Alabama, Hurts was a national championship runner-up, losing to Clemson but hyped as a future star. Sophomore year, he got benched halftime as Tua Tagovailoa staged a comeback. Junior year, he again backed up Tua, then in the national championship senior year, he transferred to Oklahoma and nearly won the Heisman, finishing second to Joe Burrow.
Despite all this, NFL teams passed on him until Philly snatched him at No. 53 in the 2020 draft—behind Burrow, Tagovailoa, Herbert, and Love. And guess what? Among those guys, only Burrow even hit a Super Bowl scene, and he lost. Hurts was the first quarterback since the Bills’ Jim Kelly to make it back to the big game after a previous loss. And Kelly lost four in a row. No pressure.
Starting his NFL life backing up Carson Wentz and even playing wide receiver at times, Hurts took over as starter in 2020. He’s led the Eagles to four straight playoffs. The 2021 season, which ended with a playoff loss, made the team question their QB choice. But instead of shipping him off, Philly stuck by Hurts, who then finished runner-up to Mahomes for MVP in 2022. Almost knocked off the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, too. Almost.
Then, oh joy, the 2024 “epic collapse”—10-1 start tapering into a nosedive. Hurts got roasted in the offseason like last week’s undercooked wings at a tailgate. His leadership was questioned, his bond with Sirianni scrutinized, even his friendship with star receiver A.J. Brown was a hot mess worthy of daytime soap attention.
But the wins? Those kept piling up, like garbage on a busy city sidewalk. Saquon Barkley’s insane 2024 season took a lot of spotlight. Barkley rewrote NFL rushing history, leaving Hurts to become the cheapest RB blocking with some passing sprinkled in.
When defenses finally smothered Barkley, Hurts was clutch—delivering timely passing performances against the Steelers and the Commanders, smashing a 55-23 beat-down just last week.
Sirianni summed it up perfectly: “It’s amazing how much doubt there is sometimes. I can’t comprehend it because it doesn’t look like what people think it should look like. But he’s won a ton of football games.” Translation: we don’t care if you win ugly or flashy, just win. He kept winning. End of story. Period. The criticism? “Yeah, whatever.”
Since 2016, Hurts has worked with nine different offensive coordinators. Nine! It’s like the universe said, “Here, enjoy migraine city.” Next year, it might be ten. Typical Hurts: he adapts, slaughters expectations, and keeps marching.
His standard? Win. Win at all costs. Be the relentless winner. That’s the Hurts way.
Look, Jalen Hurts is THE definition of prolific winner. But, spoiler alert: the ultimate victory—the Super Bowl ring—is still waiting at the end of this madcap path. And Philly’s hungry for it.
Analysis: Hurts’ journey embodies resilience in the brutal NFL jungle. Drafted late, doubted relentlessly, navigating coaching carousel after carousel, yet thriving and delivering victories. His story shows that winning isn’t always pretty; sometimes it’s messy, chaotic, and damn satisfying.
Philly’s love-hate relationship with Hurts echoes what many athletes face—expectations crushing down, scrutiny at every turn, but the undying hope that the next dazzling play, the next close call won, the next championship, changes the narrative.
The upcoming Super Bowl LIX is more than a game; for Hurts, it’s the ultimate litmus test. Can the persistent underdog beat the team led by the wizard Mahomes? Can Philly’s grit and heart finally snatch immortality? Or will the ghosts of turnovers and near losses haunt them again?
Either way, Jalen Hurts has carved his legacy not just in stats but in sheer willpower. And that rare smile? That’s the look of a man convinced that this time, the story ends with confetti falling forever.
