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A16 SPORTS
Tuesday 11 February 2025
Jalen Hurts’ rocky road leads to a Super Bowl MVP award

By JOSH DUBOW in the title game and could
AP Pro Football Writer only watch as Tua Tago-
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Jalen vailoa led the Crimson Tide
Hurts smiled as he held the to a title.
Lombardi Trophy in his right Hurts spent the next sea-
hand and the Super Bowl son as a backup before
MVP trophy in his left hand, transferring to Oklahoma,
reflecting on all he has where he improved as a
gone through to reach the passer and was drafted in
pinnacle of success. the second round by the
The hurdles he faced along Eagles in 2020.
the way helped lead to The pick was panned by
where he stood Monday some because Philadel-
morning: a Super Bowl phia already had Carson
champion and MVP. Wentz in place, but Hurts
“When you hoist those tro- took over as starter late
phies, it’s more so about in his rookie season. He
the journey and less about helped the Eagles make
the results,” Hurts said. the playoffs the following
“Obviously we’re going to year in his first full season as
be judged by results and a starter and reached the
that’s what everyone talks Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts poses with the Vince Lombardi Super Bowl trophy Super Bowl in the 2022 sea-
about. The journey is what and the Pete Rozelle MVP trophy during a news conference the morning after the NFL Super Bowl son. The questions about
fuels us and makes us who 59 football game between the Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs, Monday, Feb. 10, 2025, in New his ability as a pure passer
we are.” Orleans. lingered despite his suc-
The finish to the 2024 sea- Associated Press cess on the field, but Hurts
may have put them to
son for the Philadelphia Ea- rest at least for now thanks
gles with a dominating 40- to the way he controlled
22 win over the two-time the game Sunday night
defending champion Kan- against Steve Spagnuolo’s
sas City Chiefs for their 16th defense.
win in 17 games comes in “When it’s all said and done
stark contrast to 2023. for me, I won’t measure my
The Eagles started 10-1 success by any numbers or
that season and looked statistics or passing yards
like they could have a or touchdowns or anything
chance to avenge a Super like that,” Hurts said. “I mea-
Bowl loss the previous sea- sure it off rings and cham-
son to the Chiefs. But then pionships. That’s how I look
they lost five of their final at it.” Hurts had both the
six regular-season games stats and the champion-
and were blown out in a ship against the Chiefs. He
wild-card loss at Tampa went 17 for 22 for 221 yards
Bay, with the brunt of the and two touchdowns, and
criticism being focused on he ran for 72 yards and a
Hurts and coach Nick Siri- touchdown, joining Hall
anni. But Sirianni believes of Famer Joe Montana as
the celebration that hap- the only quarterbacks to
pened Sunday night at the throw for at least 200 yards
Superdome wouldn’t have and two TDs and rush for at
been possible without the least 50 yards and a score
disappointment from 2023. in a Super Bowl.
“Adversity has a tendency While that performance
to bring you together,” he led to Hurts winning the
said. “I look back on last award for Most Valuable
year and how last year Player, the most valuable
ended and I’m grateful. person for the Eagles might
As crazy as it sounds, I’m have been defensive co-
grateful how last year end- ordinator Vic Fangio, who
ed because it shaped us delivered a signature per-
to who we are today and formance in a long career
where we’re standing to- that had lacked only a
day.” championship.
Hurts has been shaped by The Eagles sacked Patrick
adversity throughout his Mahomes six times the
career. He lost the college first time that has hap-
football championship pened in his 8-year NFL
game as a freshman at Al- career and generated
abama in the 2016 season three takeaways, including
and then was benched at a pick-6 by rookie Cooper
halftime the following year DeJean.q