Recently, former Panthers QB Cam Newton made headlines by favoring Dak Prescott over Jalen Hurts as the best signal caller in the NFC East. But not everyone agreed with that take, including, as it turns out, former running back turned analyst LeSean McCoy, who joined the conversation with his viewpoint.
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In an interview on the ‘Speak’ podcast, McCoy opposed Newton’s stance. Having closely followed Hurts’ performances, the former RB offered a perspective based on his observations, pointing out the Eagles QB’s consistent growth and improvement over the years.
He also expressed optimism that there is still more to see from Hurts, despite the promising glimpses during his third year in Philadelphia. He also expressed optimism that there is still more to see from Hurts despite the promising glimpses during his third year in Philadelphia — the season when he guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl. the season when he guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl.
“I’m going to go with Jalen Hurts… I’ve seen him get better each year, over and over again… He keeps winning and getting better and better. His best attribute is that he’s a winner.”
McCoy stressed that Hurts excels in winning games, including in the playoffs — a definite indication of a standout quality. In contrast, McCoy highlighted how Prescott’s standout season in his eighth year didn’t even translate into playoff success despite his stellar performance.
“I look at a guy like Dak Prescott, whose best year was in his eighth year, and they [Dallas Cowboys] don’t even get to a conference game. As a matter of fact, they [Cowboys] don’t even win a playoff game.”
Notably, in the last 25 years, the team’s playoff record is 4-11. Unfortunately, those playoff appearances have not translated into championship titles. The last time the Dallas Cowboys won the Super Bowl was in 1996.
Considering the debate on the quarterback, Dak has led the Cowboys to the playoffs four times (2017-NFC Divisional Round, 2019-NFC Wild Card & NFC Divisional Round, and 2023-NFC Wild Card Round). Jalen, on the other hand, has led the Eagles to the playoffs three times, although he made his NFL debut in 2020, starting just four games.
Hurts Is the NFL’s 2nd Best QB After Mahomes, Says McCoy
As the conversation progressed, McCoy acknowledged Mahomes’ consistent achievements, such as multiple Super Bowl wins with the Kansas City Chiefs in a short period of time. The league also boasts other playmakers who have showcased similar mettle, from Brock Purdy to Joe Burrow to Jordan Love to CJ Stroud.
They have yet to win a Super Bowl, but they are arguably among the best quarterbacks in the league. However, for McCoy, Hurts ranks second as the winningest quarterback in the last three years.
“In the last three years, the most winning quarterback is probably Patrick Mahomes. But the second best, you know who that is? Jalen Hurts.”
All in all, McCoy emphasized Hurts’ potential as a work in progress. He also wholeheartedly believes that, having achieved numerous milestones at just 25 years old, the Oklahoma alum has the capacity to reach even greater heights.
