Kansas City Chiefs star Chris Jones had high praise for Jalen Hurts and his effort in the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl LVII defeat. Jones discussed the Eagles quarterback as part of NFL Network’s annual ranking of the 100 best players. He said Hurts “had the best performance in the Super Bowl that I’ve ever seen of a quarterback.”
“Jalen or Mahomes… I’m gonna pick Jalen.”@JalenHurts makes his debut at No. 3 🦅
Stream the entire #NFLTop100 countdown on NFL+ https://t.co/YUCK1vhW5N pic.twitter.com/feWEZjHlUK
— NFL (@NFL) August 8, 2023
Hurts finished 27-of-38 for 304 yards and one touchdown through the air and ran for 70 yards and three scores. His rushing output was the highest ever for a quarterback in the Super Bowl. Chiefs star Patrick Mahomes reflected after the game the 2020 second-round pick silenced his remaining skeptics.
“If there were any doubters left, there shouldnt be now…”
– Patrick Mahomes on Eagles QB Jalen Hurts performance during #SuperBowl 57 pic.twitter.com/lXfnzIAVzz
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) February 13, 2023
Now, Hurts will have to shoulder the weight of increased expectations based on last year’s success and a new contract (five years, $255 million) that briefly made him the highest-paid player in NFL history. The 25-year-old told NBC Sports’ Peter King he’s taking inspiration from NBA legensd Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant as he seeks to continue improving on the field.
“Obviously two different sports, but trying to get better at my strengths and then turning my weaknesses into my strengths,” he said. “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.”