| Is Jalen Hurts Elite? |
By Christian Klemash
BirdsHQ.com
Jalen Hurts is like the Rodney Dangerfield of quarterbacks. The man gets no respect.
After a complete destruction of the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, winning Super Bowl MVP, and outplaying Patrick Mahomes in two Bowls in three years, Hurts is still not considered an ‘elite’ quarterback by many in the media.
Even more incredibly, he is still doubted by many in the city for which he plays, Philadelphia. I’ll tell ya, he gets no respect at all.
A simple Google search of ‘Top 10 Quarterbacks’ lists the general consensus to be:
1) Lamar Jackson: Baltimore Ravens. Known for his dual-threat abilities and exceptional playmaking.
2) Josh Allen: Buffalo Bills. A powerful runner and thrower, consistently ranked among the best in the league.
3) Patrick Mahomes: Kansas City Chiefs. A Super Bowl champion and a highly talented passer, often considered the best in the league.
4) Joe Burrow: Cincinnati Bengals. A highly accurate passer with a knack for making big plays.
5) Justin Herbert: Los Angeles Chargers. A young, talented passer with a high ceiling.
6) Matthew Stafford: Los Angeles Rams. A veteran quarterback with a strong arm and a history of success.
7) Jordan Love: Green Bay Packers. A rising star who has shown the ability to lead his team to success.
8) Geno Smith: Seattle Seahawks. Has proven to be a reliable and effective starter.
9) Dak Prescott: Dallas Cowboys. A talented passer who has led his team to the playoffs multiple times.
10) C.J. Stroud: Houston Texans. A promising young quarterback with a high ceiling.
Other Notable Quarterbacks:
Jalen Hurts: Philadelphia Eagles. A talented dual-threat quarterback who has led his team to the Super Bowl.
Sure, it’s an AI Overview, but the list is culled from a compilation of rankings across the internet. It accurately reflects the opinion of most experts that the top three QBs in the NFL are Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
Mahomes is undeniably the best quarterback of his era – so far. He’s appeared in 5 Super Bowls and won 3. However, in the two championship games he’s played against Hurts, Mahomes is 1-1, and Hurts outplayed him both times. In fact, Hurts might be 2-0 if not for a phantom pass interference call which robbed him of the ball with a minute and a half left in Super Bowl 57.
Of the others on the list, only Matthew Stafford has won one Super Bowl – in his 17-year career. Joe Burrow has reached one, but lost. The other 7 have failed to even take their team to the biggest stage. Hurts has done it twice in 3 years.
As an observer, I’ll admit that Hurts doesn’t have a Winchester of an arm like Josh Allen, doesn’t possess world-class speed like Lamar Jackson, and doesn’t make eye-popping, no-look throws like Patrick Mahomes.
What he does is win. And win with a bruising, straight-ahead style of play. It’s well-known that Hurts squats 600-plus pounds, which would normally be a useless stat for an NFL quarterback. But Hurts uses that strength on short-yardage plays so effectively, that the NFL tried to ban his signature play, the Tush-Push, because no team can stop it. It’s not as pretty as a Mahomes no-look, but on 4th and 1, who would you rather give the ball to? No one.
Additionally, Hurts has matured into an efficient passer. His completion percentage last year was 68.7%, better than Jackson, Mahomes and Allen.
Stats are one thing. Winning and leadership are another.
On any list, Jalen Hurts should be ranked #2. And if he wins it all again this year, an argument can be made that he moves into the #1 spot. By the way, the Eagles are favored to win Super Bowl 60 this year.
The answer to the question is yes, Jalen Hurts has reached elite status.
So, to the countless NFL pundits, from former players to screaming podcasters, it’s time to give Jalen Hurts the respect he deserves. He’s earned it.
Here’s a fitting end to this article, and this debate:
The Dagger
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