Jalen Hurts went from the top of the football world to the margins of ESPN’s quarterback conversation in a hurry.
A year after being ranked No. 9 and coming off a Super Bowl run that ended with him earning MVP honors, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback landed in ESPN’s honorable mentions this time around. That drop says plenty about how last season played out for Philadelphia, and about how quickly perceptions can shift in the NFL.
Hurts had plenty of momentum behind him entering the year, but the Eagles never found their footing. The season was marked by dissatisfaction among players, friction in the locker room, and a lack of trust in the system. Philadelphia finished 11-6 and then lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the wild-card round.
Even so, not everyone around the league is ready to write him off. One offensive line coach in the AFC kept backing Hurts.
“I know it has been up-and-down, but I'm still betting on the Super Bowl credentials, the intangibles, and the toughness,” said the anonymous source.
ESPN’s quarterback rankings were built from surveys of league executives, coaches, and scouts, along with “composite average and dozens of interviews, with research and film study” before the top 10 was finalized.
Hurts still has some recognizable company in the honorable mentions group, which also includes Brock Purdy of the 49ers, Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks, Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders, Jordan Love of the Green Bay Packers, Baker Mayfield of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Trevor Lawrence of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
On the stat sheet, Hurts finished with 3,224 passing yards and a career-high 25 touchdown passes. His production on the ground dipped, though, as he ran for 421 yards and eight touchdowns.
He is now entering the fourth year of his five-year, $255 million contract.
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