Jalen Hurts
Jalen Hurts is an American football quarterback who has gained prominence in the NFL after being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020. Born on August 7, 1998, in Houston, Texas, he showcased his athletic talent during high school at Channelview, excelling both in football and powerlifting. Hurts began his college football career at the University of Alabama, where he quickly became a standout player, leading the team to a national championship game and receiving multiple accolades. He later transferred to the University of Oklahoma to finish his collegiate career with impressive stats, finishing as a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy.
In the NFL, Hurts started his journey as a backup but soon became the Eagles' starting quarterback in 2021, guiding the team to a playoff appearance. His performance improved significantly in 2022, where he led the Eagles to a 14–3 record and reached Super Bowl LVII, setting several records along the way. In 2023, he signed a groundbreaking contract extension with the Eagles, solidifying his status as one of the league's top dual-threat quarterbacks. Despite a challenging 2023 season, Hurts's achievements have made him a prominent figure in professional football.
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Jalen Hurts
- Born: August 7, 1998
- Place of Birth: Houston, Texas
American football player Jalen Hurts emerged as a National Football League (NFL) star soon after being drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2020. He became the Eagles' full-time starting quarterback in 2021 and helped make them a consistent playoff team, including a berth in Super Bowl LVII during the 2022 season.
Early Life
Jalen Hurts was born on August 7, 1998, in Houston, Texas, to Pamela and Averion Hurts. He was raised alongside his brother, Averion Jr., and younger sister, Kynnedy, in the Houston suburb of Channelview, where he attended Channelview High School. Both his parents worked in the school system. His father, a former college football player, was a football coach. His mother worked as a special education teacher and department chair.
Hurts became a successful football player at Channelview High, developing a reputation for drive and hustle. He impressed college recruiters as a "dual-threat" quarterback, skilled at both throwing and running the ball. As a senior, he passed for 2,384 yards with 26 touchdown passes, while adding 1,391 rushing yards and 25 rushing touchdowns. He later attributed much of his early success to his father's coaching, which inspired him to work hard to always do his best.
In addition to football, Hurts competed in powerlifting in high school and was the regional finalist in the 198-pound weight class. He also excelled academically. He graduated in 2016. By that time, he had been heavily recruited by several colleges with strong football programs and committed to the University of Alabama.
College Football
Hurts was admitted to college early and began attending the University of Alabama in January 2016, studying public relations and communication. As a freshman, he quickly became the starting quarterback for the school's football team, the Crimson Tide. He played very well and led Alabama to the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship. He was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year. In addition, he received Freshman All-American honors from several publications and was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated College Football Playoff magazine.
In 2017, Hurts led Alabama to an 11–1 regular season and a spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Championship game. However, after struggling in the first half of that game, he was benched in favor of backup quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who led the Crimson Tide to a comeback victory over Georgia in overtime. Hurts then spent his junior year as Alabama's backup quarterback.
After completing his bachelor's degree in December 2018, Hurts transferred to the University of Oklahoma so he could play as a starter for his senior year. He again excelled, setting several Oklahoma Sooners team records. He led the team to a Big 12 Conference Championship, although they then lost the Peach Bowl game in the College Football Playoffs. Hurts finished second in voting for the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious award.
NFL Career
Hurts entered the 2020 NFL Draft but was not considered one of the top quarterback prospects. Many scouts admired his rushing ability, but some were skeptical that his passing skills were strong enough for the NFL. As a result, he fell into the second round, where he was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the fifty-third overall pick. The choice generated some controversy among Eagles fans and football analysts, as the team had recently signed star quarterback Carson Wentz to a long-term contract.
Hurts began his rookie season as the Eagles' backup quarterback. However, after Wentz struggled for much of the year, Hurts was given his first NFL start in December 2020. He showed considerable promise in that game, throwing a touchdown pass and notably rushing for over 100 yards to help the Eagles beat the New Orleans Saints. He went on to make three more regular-season starts, continuing to show flashes of talent even though the Eagles lost all three of those games. The team overall struggled greatly during the 2020 season and failed to qualify for the playoffs with a 4–11–1 record.
Hurts secured his spot as the Eagles’ starting quarterback for the 2021 season after the team traded away Wentz in the offseason. Although he missed one game with an ankle sprain, he led the team to a 9–8 record that qualified them for a wild card spot in the playoffs. He tied for sixth in the league in rushing touchdowns, with ten, and also threw sixteen touchdown passes over the course of the regular season. The Eagles lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round, but Hurts earned his first NFL postseason experience.
Hurts blossomed into a star quarterback in 2022, finishing the regular season with 3,701 passing yards and 22 touchdown passes, as well as 750 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. He was named to his first career Pro Bowl and was a second-team All-Pro. The Eagles finished the season 14–3, securing the number-one seed in the National Football Conference (NFC) playoffs. They beat the New York Giants in the divisional round and the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game to earn a place in Super Bowl LVII. There they faced the Kansas City Chiefs, led by superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes (notably, it was the first time two Black quarterbacks faced each other in the Super Bowl). The game was a tight contest throughout, and Hurts played very well, setting Super Bowl records for a quarterback with 70 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns while adding 304 passing yards and a passing touchdown as well as a two-point conversion. However, the Chiefs narrowly prevailed, 38–35, with Hurts’s last-minute Hail Mary pass falling incomplete.
In April 2023 Hurts made headlines when he signed a five-year contract extension with the Eagles with a reported total value of $255 million. The deal briefly made him the highest-paid NFL player of all time, and was also notable for containing the first no-trade clause in Eagles franchise history. He had another strong performance during the 2023 season, notably setting an NFL quarterback record with 15 rushing touchdowns—which also made him the first quarterback to rush for at least 10 touchdowns three years in a row. He added 3,858 passing yards and 23 passing touchdowns, solidifying his reputation as one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the league and earning another Pro Bowl nomination. However, the Eagles were unable to improve on their previous season, posting an 11–6 record and losing in the wild card postseason round to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Bibliography
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Hummer, Chris. “‘My Story's Far From Over’: A Timeline of Jalen Hurts’ Storybook Career.” 247 Sports, 12 Feb. 2023, 247sports.com/Article/Super-Bowl-2023-Jalen-Hurts-career-timeline-recruiting-rank-Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Oklahoma-Sooners-Eagles-204428716/. Accessed 8 May 2023.
Kracz, Ed. “Eagles QB Jalen Hurts: ‘Money Is Nice, Championships Are Better.’” EaglesToday, 24 Apr. 2023, www.si.com/nfl/eagles/news/philadelphia-eagles-jalen-hurts-contract-extension-press-conference-interview. Accessed 10 July 2023.
McManus, Tim. “Jalen Hurts Reflects on Journey after Lifting Eagles to Super Bowl.” ESPN, 29 Jan. 2023, www.espn.com/nfl/story/‗/id/35555134/jalen-hurts-reflects-journey-lifting-eagles-super-bowl. Accessed 10 July 2023.
Mercer, Kevin. “QB Jalen Hurts Thanks God as He Joins Philadelphia Eagles, Starting QB Carson Wentz.” Sports Spectrum, 27 Apr. 2020, sportsspectrum.com/sport/football/2020/04/27/jalen-hurts-thanks-god-philadelphia-eagles-carson-wentz/. Accessed 8 May 2023.
Wittry, Andy. "Jalen Hurts: College Football Career, Stats, Highlights, Records." National Collegiate Athletic Association, 17 Apr. 2023, www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2023-02-12/jalen-hurts-college-football-career-stats-highlights-records. Accessed 29 Aug. 2024.