Jalen Hurts, the Philadelphia Eagles' 24-year-old superstar quarterback, has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with on the field. His dual-threat abilities have wreaked chaos on opponents and provided a significant advantage for his teammates. However, it's not just his skills that have impressed All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson; it's Hurts' maturity and leadership that have truly left a lasting impression.
Since being named the Eagles' starting quarterback, Hurts has quickly risen from a question mark to one of the NFL's elite playmakers. In the 2022 season, he earned his first Pro Bowl selection and achieved career-best numbers, throwing for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also showcased his impressive rushing abilities, accumulating 760 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground. Remarkably, his rushing touchdowns ranked second in the league among all positions and second all-time for quarterbacks.
In just three seasons, Hurts has already made a statistical impact. In 2022, he became the first player in the Super Bowl era to rank in the top five in passer rating (fourth; 101.5) and rushing touchdowns, according to NFL Research. He's also the only quarterback with double-digit rushing scores and a plus-100 rating. Hurts joined the ranks of Cam Newton and Josh Allen as the only quarterbacks to achieve 3,000 passing yards and 700-plus rushing yards in consecutive seasons, setting the stage for a potential third straight year of this remarkable feat.
While no Philadelphia Eagle has ever won the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player award, Hurts came close in 2022, finishing as the runner-up behind Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs. If Hurts continues to perform at the same level as he did last season, he will undoubtedly be at the forefront of the MVP conversation once again.
However, it's not just Hurts' on-field abilities that have resonated with Johnson and his teammates. Even though they were not college teammates, Johnson believes that Hurts' character can be traced back to his college days. In the 2017 National Championship Game against Georgia, Hurts was memorably benched at halftime in favor of Tua Tagovailoa. Despite this setback, Hurts showed resilience, transferring to Oklahoma and eventually emerging from a backup role with the Eagles to become their franchise quarterback.
Now, Johnson and the rest of the team are counting on Hurts to lead them to another NFC championship and beyond. With his dual-threat capabilities, exceptional maturity, and unwavering work ethic, Jalen Hurts is poised to continue his ascent and leave an indelible mark on the NFL.
