PHILADELPHIA — Jalen Hurts doesn’t have to apologize just because he didn’t have to impose his will on the NFC Championship game against the 49ers when Brock Purdy’s Cinderella season was lost to a first-quarter elbow injury.
He deserves this moment.
He deserves this chance to hoist the Lombardi Trophy at the end of Super Bowl 2023.
This town will believe in Jalen Hurts more than it believed in Nick Foles when he upset Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII and gifted Philadelphia its first Super Bowl championship.
A town he never expected to lead to a Super Bowl.
“They probably didn’t even want to draft me here,” Hurts said after Eagles 31, 49ers 7. “It was a big surprise to me. Big surprise to me. I went through a lot of stuff in college and it kinda stuck with me — John 13:7, ‘You may not know now but later you’ll understand.’ Hopefully people understand.”
People understand now why the Eagles drafted him in the second round in 2020 and ditched Carson Wentz.
His owner understands.
“It probably starts with his upbringing,” Jeffrey Lurie said. “It starts with his parents. It’s a big part of analyzing a quarterback that you’re gonna take in the draft. You want someone who is incredibly mature, stable, able to withstand the ups and downs of the NFL. Every young quarterback struggles. How are they gonna emerge after that struggling period? … Quietly confident, and everyone wants to follow his lead because he’s deserving of it.”
Jets fans will read that quote and think of Zach Wilson.
Giants fans will read that quote and think of Daniel Jones.
His center understands.
“He’s the system,” Jason Kelce said. “He’s a dynamic player athletically, he can throw the ball, he’s smart, and then he has all the intangibles … his composure, his poise in the huddle, his poise in the pocket, his ability to remain confident at all times … all of that breeds … guys feed off of that.”
Nick Saban didn’t believe that Hurts could win Alabama a national championship against Georgia when he turned to freshman Tua Tagovailoa for a triumphant second-half comeback five long years ago.
Rest assured that Nick Sirianni won’t be yanking Hurts in the second half of Super Bowl LVII for Gardner Minshew.
Hurts willed himself to the NFL, willed himself to become Eagles starter, willed himself to stardom and Favorite Son status, willed the Eagles to this NFC Championship game.
When the football gods handed him a Super Bowl berth on a midnight green, silver, black and white platter.
And now he gets to show just how far he has come from that fateful college night, now he tries to climb Mount Burrow or Mount Mahomes and plant an Eagles flag on top of the NFL world and prove to all the naysayers that this time, on the biggest and brightest stage: I AM HIM.
He certainly doesn’t have to apologize for a 16-1 2022 season as The Straw That Stirs The Drink, with an arm (24 TDs, 6 INTs) that was questioned only a year ago and legs that accounted for 794 yards and 14 TDs.
Hurts is the self-made quarterback, driven to be the best version of himself, a version which is now better than NFL teams who didn’t consider him a first-round draft pick projected him to be.
And as good of a leader as you will find.
“He’s never satisfied til the job is done,” DeVonta Smith said. “Just the way he handles himself, the way he carries himself, the way that he pushes this team to be the best that they can be.”
Hurts (15-for-25, 121 yards, 11-39-1 TD rushing) doesn’t have to apologize for Haason Reddick forcing a fumble and forcing Purdy out for a long stretch in favor of Josh Johnson, the 14-team journeyman with these career numbers: 13 TDs, 16 INTs, 425 rushing yards, 1-8 as a starter.
Josh Johnson, 1-for-2, for 10 yards in 2022. Josh Johnson, 36-year-old playoff novice. Josh Johnson (7-for-13, 74 yards), forever Mr. Irrelevant, who forced Purdy to return in the third quarter when he left with a concussion.
The game was essentially over when Hurts began using his legs on a 15-play, 91-yard drive on which he ran for 40 yards and scored on a 1-yard keeper for the final nail in the 49ers’ coffin.
It was his 15th rushing touchdown of the season, breaking an NFL record that was previously held by Cam Newton.
“We want to go out there and play to our standard,” Hurts said. “Today was good enough to get the win and advance but we still want to go out there and play to our standard. In the end, however the chips fall, I’ll be able to either enjoy it or not.”
Don’t bet against this kid.
“My joy comes in winning,” Hurts said, “but I know the job isn’t done. I never always knew how far we’d come, I never knew how far we’d go, but I never said it couldn’t be done.”
Hurts so good.
