Jalen Hurts beamed with pride as he held the Lombardi Trophy in one hand and the Super Bowl MVP trophy in the other, reflecting on the challenges he had overcome to reach the peak of success. The obstacles he faced on his journey played a key role in his achievement as Super Bowl champion and MVP.
“When you lift those trophies, it’s more about the journey than the end result,” Hurts said. “Of course, we’re judged by the results, and that’s what everyone talks about. But the journey is what drives us and shapes who we are.”
The 2024 season’s conclusion for the Philadelphia Eagles, with a dominant 40-22 victory over the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, marks a sharp contrast to the struggles of the previous year. In 2023, the Eagles started strong with a 10-1 record and seemed poised to avenge their Super Bowl loss to the Chiefs. However, they faltered down the stretch, losing five of their final six regular-season games and suffering a humiliating wild-card defeat to Tampa Bay, with much of the blame directed at Hurts and head coach Nick Sirianni.
However, Sirianni feels that the celebration that took place Sunday night at the Superdome wouldn’t have been achievable without the setbacks of 2023.
“Adversity has a way of bringing people together,” Sirianni said. “Looking back at how last year ended, I’m actually thankful for it. As strange as it may sound, I’m grateful for how things played out because it shaped us into who we are today and brought us to where we are now.”
Hurts’ career has been defined by overcoming challenges. As a freshman at Alabama in the 2016 season, he lost the college football championship, and the following year, he was benched at halftime of the title game, watching as Tua Tagovailoa led the team to a win.
After that, Hurts spent a season as a backup before transferring to Oklahoma, where he developed his passing skills. In 2020, he was selected in the second round of the NFL Draft by the Eagles.
The Eagles’ selection of Hurts was initially criticized by some, given that the team already had Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback. However, Hurts took over as the starter late in his rookie season, leading the Eagles to the playoffs in his first full season and reaching the Super Bowl in 2022.
Despite his success, doubts about his abilities as a pure passer persisted. But Hurts may have silenced those concerns, at least for now, with his commanding performance against Steve Spagnuolo’s defense on Sunday night.
“When everything is said and done, I won’t measure my success by stats, passing yards, or touchdowns,” Hurts said. “I measure it by rings and championships. That’s how I define success.”
Hurts showcased both impressive stats and a championship in the win over the Chiefs. He completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, and also rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown. This performance made him only the second quarterback, alongside Hall of Famer Joe Montana, to throw for at least 200 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for at least 50 yards and a score in a Super Bowl.
While Hurts’ performance earned him the Super Bowl MVP award, the most valuable figure for the Eagles might have been defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who delivered a standout performance in a career that had been missing only a championship.
The Eagles sacked Patrick Mahomes six times—marking the first time in his eight-year NFL career that he had been sacked that many times—and also forced three turnovers, including a pick-six by rookie Cooper DeJean.
What made this performance even more impressive was that the Eagles didn’t call a single blitz all game, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. Fangio’s defense effectively took away Mahomes’ first read on plays, allowing the four-man pass rush to apply consistent pressure.
“We’re obviously very talented on that side of the ball,” Sirianni said. “Vic Fangio is one of the best coordinators of all time. Last night, he solidified his legacy as perhaps the best defensive coordinator of all time.”
As for Hurts, his legacy is still unfolding. At just 26 years old, he has many years of football ahead of him. He understands that even after winning a Super Bowl MVP, there’s still a lot left to accomplish.
“It’s a journey. It’s all a journey, and I’m still not there yet,” Hurts said. “We’re still not there as a team.”