If you’ve followed Jalen Hurts’ career from college to the pros, you’ll probably agree that he has been vastly underappreciated during his career.
And that’s continued in the NFL, especially this season as he’s led the Eagles to the NFC Championship Game.
During his three years at Alabama, Hurts starred as both a starter and in relief when given the opportunity.
He was the first true freshman to start for the Crimson Tide since Vince Sutton in 1984. In 2016, he threw for 2,780 yards with 23 TDs and 9 INTs. Hurts added 954 yards rushing and 13 TDs. He also broke both the school’s single-season rushing record (791 yards) and single-season total TDs (35). He made history again against Mississippi State on November 12th, 2016, when he became the first player in Alabama history to pass for 300 yards and rush for 100 yards in a single game.
That year Jalen was named SEC Freshman of the Year and Conference Player of the Year, and he led the Tide to a 12-0 record before ultimately falling to Clemson in the National Championship game.
His sophomore season brought high expectations, yet it ended with Hurts on the bench and Tua leading the Tide to a National Championship title.
Tua’s rise signaled Jalen’s end at Alabama. So after his junior season, he transferred to Oklahoma and became a star once again.
In 14 games, Hurts threw for 3,851 yards with 32 TDs and 8 INTs. He also rushed for 1,298 yards and 20 TDs. He was named 1st team All-Big 12, led the nation in passing yards/attempt, and was second in the nation in both passing efficiency (191.2) and total TDs (53).
That year he amassed more passing yards, rushing yards and total TDs than Justin Herbert, Jordan Love and Jacob Eason, players he was ranked behind.
If it hadn’t been for Joe Burrow annihilating the competition at LSU that year, he would have won the Heisman in 2019.
Despite his accomplishments in two of the toughest conferences in college football, some still doubted his NFL potential.
Burrow was a record-setter and national champion.
Herbert was the prototype QB that had NFL scouts salivating.
Those two continue to prove their worth every Sunday.
And so does Hurts.
When the Eagles selected him in the second round with the 53rd pick, Philly fans welcomed him with almost as must adoration as they bestowed upon Donovan McNabb in 1999.
For those of you who don’t remember that moment, McNabb’s tears from the booing he received weren’t ones of joy.
While Hurts didn’t receive that level of venom, Eagles fans were puzzled by the selection as they already had Carson Wentz.
But those of us who knew better recognized that Wentz was not the answer, and the latter proved us right.
From Slow Start To Super Bowl (Maybe)
While Hurts didn’t set the world on fire in his four starts at the end of the 2020 season, 2021 presented him with the opportunity to showcase what he could do. Yet that was slow to materialize as head coach Nick Sirianni didn’t name him the starter until right before the start of the season.
That year, Hurts threw for 3,144 yards with 16 TDs and 9 INTs. He also rushed for 784 yards and 10 TDs. The Eagles made the playoffs and he was named a Pro Bowl alternate. That should have been reason enough to accept him as QB No.1 heading into 2022.
Yet despite his accomplishments in college and in his first full season in the NFL, doubt continued to linger.
PFF Fantasy Football believed the Eagles should have traded for Russell Wilson and pursued free-agent receiver, Chris Godwin.
Fortunately, Eagles management ignored critics like Todd McShay and instead invested in Hurts and surrounded him with the talent he needed to thrive.
They traded for rising star receiver A.J. Brown and built a “system” around Hurts’ dynamic skill set, one that allows him to flex his strengths with both his arms and legs.
As a result, the Eagles shared the NFL’s best regular-season record with the Chiefs and Hurts was a leading MVP candidate until a shoulder injury forced him to miss two games.
Games which the Eagles both lost.
Yet even before his injury, some tried their hardest NOT to give him the award.
The excuses originally ranged from he lacks the arm strength of Justin Herbert and the accuracy of Patrick Mahomes to he runs too much.
Then it morphed into Hurts being a “system” quarterback.
If a system quarterback means that you’re 14-1 as the starting QB, have 3,472 yards passing, 22 TDs, 5 INTs, 747 yards rushing, 13 TDs, a completion percentage of 67.1% and a 104.6 QBR, we’re sure most quarterbacks would gladly work in that system.
The Eagles are Super Bowl contenders and Hurts is the primary reason why.
If Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Burrow or Herbert had the same record as Hurts before his injury, we wouldn’t be having this debate.
They may have more passing yards, but Hurts’ stats make his place among those players undeniable, even with missing games due to injury.
The hesitation and excuses for not wanting to give Jalen Hurts the MVP are as astounding and puzzling as they are frustrating and disrespectful. I’ve watched media pundits put more effort into defending Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers for their poor play this season instead of acknowledging what Hurts has done.
I have written extensively about Jalen Hurts and the doubters that try to belittle him. This past March I wrote this:
“Jalen Hurts is a good quarterback and will become a greater one soon. He has the tools to be both a star and the face of the franchise for years to come, so surround him with weapons and protection and build a team that will be in Super Bowl contention annually.“
I knew he was special in college and I knew he would be special in the pros. So far I’ve been right.
If you watched the Eagles’ losses to the Cowboys and Saints, you witnessed the shrinking of the playbook because of Hurts’ absence. With him, they win both games. If you watched him torch the Giants this past weekend, you see what he means to the team and the city, the latter of which has fully embraced him.
He sadly won’t win it, but the two losses further solidify my sentiments.
Jalen Hurts should be the NFL MVP.
