Rarely does a player, who is buried beneath his peers constantly, rise to a level where the questions no longer need answering because they answer themselves. That’s the level of play that Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is currently at. While many won’t put him into the same tier that they have placed Mahomes, Allen, and Burrow; Hurts has kicked that door down and has made it his home.
Jalen Hurts is living in the master bedroom of a home filled with extraordinary players. While Pat Mahomes will still be deemed as the next big thing, Jalen Hurts is slowly becoming the next main event. That is who he is at the end of the day. A hard-working player who believes in his teammates as much as he believes in himself.
He’s the QB who prioritizes winning above everything else. It doesn’t matter how pretty or how ugly the win is. A win is a win no matter what for number one. This has become the reason why he is the favorite to win the MVP award this season. Whether you like it or not.
The Eagles QB is one of a kind
You can make a case for why any of the top players in the league deserve right now. Tyreek Hill is on pace to break the season record for most receiving yards. Dak Prescott is having a career year. Pat Mahomes is the face of the NFL. Lamar Jackson has returned to form. The list goes on.
What you can’t do is make a case for why any of those players deserve it more than Jalen Hurts. Yes, Hurts has thrown a career-high 10 interceptions. Most of them came early on in the season and the Eagles were still winning because of his late-game heroics.
He also had the worst first half of his career against the Bills last Sunday. The Eagles still won that game because of the late-game heroics of their Franchise QB. Jalen Hurts isn’t a scrub. He’s not the quarterback who catches fire and then disappears. He’s the machine that continues to learn as he grows and adapts until he becomes the best in the game.
Jalen Hurts is on pace to throw the most passing yards in his career as he is currently at 2,697 passing yards on the season with six games left to go. He’s thrown for 18 touchdowns and has rushed for 11 touchdowns. Jalen Hurts is also completing 67.6% of his passes which is a career high. Did I mention that he’s also 24-2 in his last 26 regular season games?
The Eagles came into the season with the toughest strength of schedule and have managed to only lose one game. They beat the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Buffalo Bills in consecutive weeks to extend their record to 10-1.
While their toughest foe is next in the San Francisco 49ers, Jalen Hurts has gone toe toe-to-toe with three QBs that had their way with the Eagles’ defense. The Eagles were down 17-7 after the first half against both the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs, Jalen Hurts brought them back in both games to lead the Eagles to victory.
What more do you want from an MVP candidate? Hurts is winning the games that the Eagles are supposed to and is also willing the Eagles to win the games that the National media expects them to lose. That who is. He’s the Eagles’ most valuable player and he’s becoming the league’s most valuable player as well.
He carries himself better than most off of the field as well. Hurts approaches his pressers and interviews like a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. When he speaks people listen and gravitate to his every word. On the field, his calm demeanor and never-say-die mentality have revived a franchise that was on the cusp of a huge rebuild. While many will say that he’s surrounded by the best talent in the league, I would argue that he elevates them to better versions of themselves on and off the field.
That’s the definition of an MVP. That’s who every owner, GM, and coach wants to lead their franchise. Unfortunately for the league, Hurts is backed by one of the most remarkable fanbases in all of sports. Philadelphia loves and respects their MVP. It’s time for the rest of the world to follow suit.
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
