Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts knows all too well how it feels to get near the top of the mountain top just to fall short of your ultimate goal. As the starter for Alabama, the Crimson Tide lost to Clemson in the National Title game in 2017.
He was replaced by Tua Tagovailoa when the team won in 2018 but was part of losses in the next two playoffs with Alabama and Oklahoma. This past season Jalen Hurts experienced it once again as his Eagles lost to the Kansas City Chiefs, 38-35, in Super Bowl 57.
Jalen Hurts has done different things to keep himself motivated for the upcoming season, including making the background of his phone him walking off the field after the Super Bowl Loss. He has also looked to gain inspiration from legends of other sports.
While talking to Peter King of Football Morning in America, Jalen Hurts revealed that he has looked to the NBA for inspiration this offseason. Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, two of the greatest basketball players to ever do it, is who he has been studying to improve his own level of focus.
“Every time you go into an offseason, for me at least, I look at guys like MJ and Kobe and how they diagnose their game,” Hurts said. “Obviously two different sports, but trying to get better at my strengths and then turning my weaknesses into my strengths. I’ve always been a unique player. But embracing the rarity of being a true triple-threat. . . . Throwing, running, and mind. For a long time people said guys like me couldn’t think or couldn’t process. Trying to put that to sleep.”
Just turning 25, the future is certainly bright for Jalen Hurts. He earned the lucrative long-term extension that the Eagles agreed to with him this offseason, which made him the highest-paid player in NFL history for a little while.
Going to the distances that he is to improve himself, it would certainly not be smart to bet against Jalen Hurts to continue succeeding in his career. He is willing to put that extra work in to reach that next level that he hopes results in bringing another Lombardi Trophy to Philadelphia.
