NEW ORLEANS — As he stood on a stage formed just like the NFL defend surrounded by falling inexperienced, white and silver confetti, Jalen Hurts smiled and licked his lips in humble satisfaction. The Eagles quarterback’s long-awaited second within the highlight was delayed, however not denied.
Hurts was named Tremendous Bowl LIX Most worthy participant after he threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns whereas finishing 17 of twenty-two passes within the Eagles’ 40-22 rout over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. He added a Tremendous Bowl quarterback file 72 yards speeding with one other rating on the bottom.
The Eagles’ quarterback was each bit as magnificent as he was three years in the past towards the Chiefs when he threw for 304 yards and one landing on 27-of-38 passing and rushed for 70 extra yards with three touchdowns.
The one enchancment was the consequence.
“Issues come proper on time,” mentioned Hurts, who misplaced on a last-second subject objective in his final Tremendous Bowl expertise. “And the final time round, it wasn’t our time.”
Hurts is the fourth quarterback to win a Tremendous Bowl after shedding his first Tremendous Bowl begin. Even after spoiling Hurts’ Tremendous Bowl debut, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was assured Hurts would return to the game’s largest stage. When the sport ended Sunday, Hurts made a direct beeline to the center of the sector to fulfill Mahomes and wrap his quarterback counterpart in a hug.
“The one factor that I’ve all the time revered about Jalen is that he’s a winner,” Mahomes mentioned. “Some folks take that as prefer it’s not a great factor, however it’s a must to discover methods to win along with your soccer staff that you’ve got round you. … If he must run the ball, he’ll run it. If he must throw the ball, he’ll throw it. And if he must make a giant play, he’ll make the large play.”
With star operating again Saquon Barkley restricted to only 57 yards speeding, his lowest complete since Oct. 13, Hurts delivered each essential elevate. He broke his personal file for speeding yards by a quarterback in a Tremendous Bowl, serving to the Eagles end the season with 16 wins of their final 17 video games.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts passes towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs within the second half of Tremendous Bowl LIX.
(Charlie Riedel / Related Press)
Coming into the off week at 2-2, Hurts and the Eagles had been underneath hearth for the disappointing begin. He had 4 passes intercepted in comparison with 4 landing passes. However like his never-flinching demeanor Sunday, Hurts remained composed all year long.
“I don’t know what it’s,” Eagles left sort out Jordan Mailata mentioned. “Within the largest moments when there’s the most important haters and doubters this man simply, I don’t know, simply outshines and takes command.”
Hurts is the primary quarterback with at the very least 200 passing yards and 50 speeding yards in a number of Tremendous Bowls.
The coronation in New Orleans got here after heartache for the previous Alabama quarterback who misplaced within the nationwide championship recreation as a freshman. As a sophomore, he was benched at halftime of the nationwide championship and watched from the sideline as Tua Tagovailoa led the Crimson Tide to a comeback victory. He didn’t regain a full-time beginning function till he transferred to Oklahoma.
Listening to every wrestle repeated again to him as a reporter requested a query, Hurts didn’t shrink away or deflect the cruel reminiscences. He as a substitute smiled.
“It’s been a really unprecedented journey,” Hurts mentioned.
He defined he tries to steadiness each problem and each pleasure of his profession and course of them as one in a journey he insisted remains to be solely beginning.
“It’s solely the start till it’s the tip,” Hurts mentioned. “And the tip ain’t coming any time quickly.”