Jalen Hurts was drafted in 2020 to be a backup quarterback in the NFL. Still, after his improvement and Carson Wentz’s benching, the former Oklahoma signal-caller has developed into one of the best in the league.
After an Eagles practice, Hurts recently shared his thoughts on the frequent benching of young quarterbacks (Anthony Richardson, Bryce Young) in the NFL and teams’ overall impatience with their development. He emphasized that the transition to the league can be incredibly challenging, with a steep learning curve that not all QBs can navigate immediately.
“I wasn’t supposed to be the guy I am today Hurts said via Zach Berman. Nobody expected that. But took advantage of my opportunity, and that’s what I encourage everyone to do regardless. I have a ton of respect for Tom Brady. And you hear him talk a lot of times, taking advantage of your moment. Typically there’s a different leash there, the earlier you’re picked. But nonetheless, nothing’s guaranteed and nothing’s promised. But you have to take advantage of every opportunity that comes.
“And sometimes, adversity builds the appropriate callouses for you to be able to forge a new path and withstand different storms that come your way.”
Over his first two seasons, Hurts had a 59% completion percentage with 4,063 yards passing, 21 touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 1,056 rushing yards, and a Super Bowl appearance.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Hurts completed 65.4 percent of his passes for 3,858 yards and a career-high 23 touchdowns in 17 regular season games last season. He also added 15 rushing touchdowns, setting a new NFL record for most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a single season, matching Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen.
