Jalen Hurts is the newest superstar in the NFL after last season, and some NFL analysts are already comparing his work ethic to Tom Brady and Drew Brees. Hurts’ massive season last year popped him into MVP conversations. He was the best quarterback outside of Patrick Mahomes, showing off his legs, but more importantly, showing the massive strides he made as a passer. Jalen Hurts’ MVP caliber campaign took the Eagles to the Super Bowl where they were bested by Mahomes’ Chiefs.
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Working hard is always important, and the work ethic that certain players have separated them from the rest of the pack. No matter the talent that certain athletes have, it doesn’t matter unless they put in the work to back it up. Most of the greatest players to have played in the NFL had this different mindset. In the NBA, you often hear about the ‘Mamba Mentality’. It exists everywhere, and it’s a symbol of how dedicated a player is to their craft. Tom Brady and Drew Brees were two of these players who adopted this mindset.
Jalen Hurts Draws Comparisons to Tom Brady and Drew Brees
Hurts has seen a steady rise in his career. He went from backing up Carson Wentz to taking over for the team and leading them to the playoffs, to now being an MVP candidate.
Hurts’ biggest strength was initially seen as his rushing ability. He ran the Eagles to a playoff berth when he got the starting gig, but he’s evolved so much since then.
Last year, he threw for 3,701 yards and 22 touchdowns, a massive improvement from the previous year. Hurts is a dual-threat quarterback so looking at just his passing numbers or rushing numbers alone is unfair, but you can definitely see the strides he’s taken to become more of a pocket passer.
With AJ Brown, Hurts is set to have another big year. He’s been working hard since he got to the league, and he’ll continue to do so as his time continues. NFL analyst Ryan Clark really sees the same work ethic in Jalen Hurts as he did in legends Tom Brady and Drew Brees, two of the greatest quarterbacks to have ever played.
He came on ESPN’s Get Up to speak about how Hurts is as committed to football as Brady and Brees were.
“I think we have to start comparing Jalen Hurts’ work ethic to some of those maniacal workers that we’ll see in the Hall of Fame soon. Guys like Drew Brees, guys like Tom Brady.”
—@Realrclark25 pic.twitter.com/L7u5VVBtHQ
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) August 4, 2023
If Hurts is already at that level, then the rest of the league better watch out. The Eagles will look to follow up on their Super Bowl run with another strong showing this season, and Hurts will be the reason why.
Hurts and the Eagles Will Look to Feast in the NFC
While the path back to another Super Bowl will be difficult, the Eagles have to like their chances. They had a massive offseason including a great draft headlined by Jalen Carter, and they retained many of their key players from last year.
The NFC isn’t as strong as it was in recent times either. The NFC North is a complete wild card at the moment. The Packers are uncertain without Aaron Rodgers, the Bears are still going to struggle despite the massive hype around them, and the Lions are rebuilding.
Minnesota has seen the most success in that division otherwise, but they’re never considered a major Super Bowl threat. The NFC South is perhaps the weakest division in the NFL with no clear threats. The NFC West features the Eagles’ main competition in the 49ers and potentially the Seahawks or Rams.
With that being said, the NFC is wide open for the taking, and the Eagles will look to make it back-to-back.
