To hear him tell it, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII changed Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Thanks to revelations regarding his iPhone wallpaper, the public was aware of how much the 2023 loss motivated him going into Super Bowl LIX last week. But on the sidelines during this season's big game, Hurts was much more blunt in his assessment of the toll that loss took on him.
With the Birds up 40–6 with eight minutes left in the fourth, it's likely many Eagles players were already celebrating their win or gearing up for it, despite the time remaining in the game. But Hurts, well aware he was facing Patrick Mahomes and well aware he lost his last Super Bowl due to a last-minute field goal, refused to give in too early, as evidenced by a sideline interaction with tight end Grant Calcaterra.
In a mic'd up compilation from the game, Calcaterra can be heard telling Hurts, "You can crack a smile, too," likely encouraging him to relax amid the team's 34-point lead. But the 26-year-old quarterback was too locked in.
"I'm not gonna lie to you, bro," Hurts responded, "that last one changed my soul, man," referring to Super Bowl LVII, when the Eagles lost 38–35. "That s--t ... that s--t did. S--t ain't ever over. 'Til the fat lady sang, you know."
Watch a clip of that below:
Eagles take a 40-6 lead.
— Victor Williams (@ThePhillyPod) February 13, 2025
Grant Calcaterra: “You can crack a smile too.”
Jalen Hurts: “I can’t lie to you, bro — that last one changed my soul, man.”
Super Bowl 57 created a monster. pic.twitter.com/bAaBlSZY6X
Exemplifying Hurts' point, Mahomes managed to notch two more touchdowns after this interaction with just three minutes left in the game. So while the Eagles were still far enough ahead that it didn't matter, that last-minute Mahomes magic perfectly encapsulated what Hurts was worried about. It's not over 'til it's over.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Jalen Hurts Was Too Scarred by Past Super Bowl Loss to Celebrate Eagles' LIX Lead.
