Jalen Hurts Blocks Out the Noise, Zeros In on Leading the Eagles
Jalen Hurts isn’t just aware of the spotlight - he’s been living in it. And as the Eagles quarterback, he knows that criticism is part of the job description. But that doesn’t mean he’s tuning in.
“It’s who I am,” Hurts said Tuesday. “It’s my focus.
This isn’t my first rodeo. Very unprecedented journey to be here.
But unprecedented is unprecedented.”
That mindset - calm, focused, and unbothered - is part of what makes Hurts who he is. And it was on full display this past Sunday when he delivered one of his sharpest performances of the season.
In the Eagles’ win over the Raiders that snapped a three-game skid, Hurts was efficient and in control, completing 12 of 15 passes for 175 yards and three touchdowns. He added 39 yards on the ground across seven carries, showing the dual-threat poise that has made him one of the league’s most dynamic quarterbacks when he’s locked in.
But let’s not sugarcoat it - the road to that bounce-back performance wasn’t smooth. Hurts had been in a slump, and the outside noise had grown louder with each loss. That’s life for an NFL quarterback, especially one leading a team with championship aspirations.
When a reporter mentioned that linebacker Nakobe Dean figured Hurts had to be hearing the criticism, Hurts didn’t flinch.
“He’d be a broke man if he made that bet,” he said with a grin.
That quick wit underscores a deeper truth: Hurts doesn’t feed off the negativity. He doesn’t need the doubters to get motivated - even though his idol, Michael Jordan, famously did.
There’s even that viral clip of Hurts walking past a TV screen filled with analysts picking against the Eagles in the Super Bowl. The look on his face said it all.
Still, Hurts knows the attention is real. After Sunday’s win, he acknowledged the reality of being an NFL quarterback: “Everybody’s watching.” But he’s not letting that weight distract him.
Head coach Nick Sirianni explained why Hurts handles the spotlight so well.
“Playing quarterback in the NFL, you're going to get a lot of attention - positive, negative, all of it,” Sirianni said. “We talk about this a lot as a team: anything that can distract you, you need to block it out.
Jalen’s able to do that because he’s so locked in. He’s focused.
He’s not distracted by the noise. He’s focused on what he needs to do to get ready to play.”
That focus will be critical down the stretch. The Eagles’ season has been a rollercoaster, but with three games remaining, they’re just one win - or one Cowboys loss - away from clinching the NFC East for the second straight year. That’s still very much within reach.
A couple of weeks ago, Hurts had a shot to play the hero in an overtime loss to the Chargers. Despite everything that went wrong in that game, the ball was in his hands with a chance to win it. That’s the kind of moment he lives for - and the kind of moment he takes personally.
“It means a lot,” Hurts said. “You work really hard to show up when your team needs you the most.
All of the perceived pressure, whatever that is, just really preparing for a moment. Preparing for an opportunity and knowing that the resilience, determination and perseverance can bring it home for the group.”
That’s the kind of quarterback Hurts wants to be - the one who delivers when it matters most. Whether the pressure is real or imagined, he doesn’t let it define him.
“Pressure is perception by those who are watching,” Hurts said Tuesday. “I’m not watching, I’m living… doing.”
And right now, Hurts is doing exactly what the Eagles need: leading, blocking out the noise, and keeping his eyes on the bigger prize.