Eagles’ Jalen Hurts endured ‘unprecedented journey’ to finally achieve Super Bowl glory

Jalen Hurts’ way to Super Bowl glory surely was not a nonstop one.

In the 8 years starring up to his Philadelphia Eagles’ 40-22 triumph implicit the Kansas City Chiefs successful Sunday’s Super Bowl LIX, Hurts endured much than his stock of challenges.

As a freshman starting backmost astatine Alabama, Hurts mislaid successful the 2017 nationalist title crippled to Clemson.

The pursuing year, Hurts was benched astatine halftime of the 2018 nationalist title game, lone for his backup, Tua Tagovailoa, to pb Alabama backmost from a 13-0 shortage to decision Georgia.

As a junior, Hurts remained astatine Alabama arsenic Tagovailoa’s backup. Hurts past transferred to Oklahoma, wherever helium finished 2nd successful Heisman Trophy voting arsenic a elder successful 2019.

The Eagles made Hurts a second-round draught prime successful 2020, but adjacent arsenic the dual-threat backmost recovered NFL success, helium faced scrutiny implicit his limitations arsenic a passer and questions astir his ceiling arsenic a franchise quarterback.

Two years ago, Hurts totaled 4 touchdowns successful Super Bowl LVII, but the Eagles mislaid to the Chiefs, 38-35.

It’s a travel Hurts describes arsenic “unprecedented” — and it’s wherefore the usually stoic backmost flashed a grin arsenic helium reflected connected yet reaching the pinnacle.

“I’m that aforesaid kid that went to the nationalist title and lost, and went backmost and got benched, and had to transfer, and had to spell done this unprecedented journey,” Hurts, 26, said aft Sunday’s victory. “That kid ever kept the main happening the main thing, and ever was existent to his vision.”

Hurts was named the MVP of Sunday’s Super Bowl aft completing 17-of-22 walk attempts for 221 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception portion adding 72 rushing yards and a touchdown connected 11 carries.

His tush-push touchdown tally connected the Eagles’ 2nd possession opened the game’s scoring, portion his 46-yard touchdown weaponry to DeVonta Smith enactment Philadelphia up, 34-0, precocious successful the 3rd quarter, serving arsenic the dagger.

Hurts did it connected a time Eagles moving backmost Saquon Barkley, the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year and the focal constituent of the Philly offense, managed lone 57 rushing yards connected 25 carries.

“I find it comic erstwhile it’s like, ‘Jalen is bully but he’s got a bully squad astir him.’ That’s football,” Eagles caput manager Nick Sirianni said aft Sunday’s win.

“You cannot beryllium large without the greatness of others. Jalen can’t bash it by himself. He needs A.J. [Brown]. He needs that violative line. He needs Saquon and vice versa. The crushed Saquon has a peculiar twelvemonth [is not] lone the violative line, but the attraction that Jalen commands for the tally game. Jalen’s special.”

Hurts finished 2nd successful NFL MVP voting for the 2022 season, aft which helium signed a five-year, $255 cardinal declaration extension.

But extracurricular disapproval had crept backmost successful during the 2 years since.

After starting the 2023 play with a 10-1 record, the Eagles mislaid six of their last 7 games, including a 32-9 blowout by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers successful the wild-card circular of the playoffs.

Reports emerged of a strained narration betwixt Hurts and Sirianni.

This regular season, Hurts threw for a pedestrian 2,903 yards and 18 touchdowns successful 15 games. The Eagles’ deficiency of passing-game firepower became a nationalist talking point, adjacent arsenic Hurts scored 14 rushing touchdowns and Barkley flirted with single-season past by moving for 2,005 yards.

But Hurts returned to signifier during the Eagles’ playoff run. He totaled 10 touchdowns — 5 passing and 5 rushing — successful Philadelphia’s 4 games and completed 71.4% of his passes.

Three of his rushing touchdowns came successful a 55-23 drubbing of the Washington Commanders successful the NFC Championship Game.

On Sunday, Hurts carved up a Chiefs defence that was among the NFL’s champion each play and that made beingness hard for Houston’s C.J. Stroud and Buffalo’s Josh Allen successful Kansas City’s different 2 playoff games.

Hurts bested Chiefs backmost Patrick Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl champion who threw 2 interceptions Sunday. His Chiefs were unopen retired until determination was little than a infinitesimal remaining successful the 3rd quarter.

By yet winning connected the biggest stage, Hurts authored different section successful his up-and-down communicative — 1 that immortalizes him arsenic a Super Bowl champion.

“It’s been a amusive ride, and I’ve embraced each step,” Hurt said. “I took large pridefulness successful ne'er backing down from a challenge, ever turning my negatives into positives, turning my weaknesses and making them my strengths. It’s taken large effort and determination to germinate my crippled implicit clip and conscionable proceed to turn and improve.”