Jalen Hurts has brought consistent results to the Philadelphia Eagles over the years. He’s had a winning record in 4 out of 5 seasons, and routinely rushes for 10+ touchdowns via the Tush Push. Some would say that the system is set up perfectly for him, and that he’s a “system QB.”
Advertisement
Look, Hurts’ Super Bowl run was legendary. But many still consider him a player who benefited from an excellent team. After all, the story coming out of the Big Game was how the Eagles’ pass rush didn’t allow for Patrick Mahomes to get comfortable in the pocket. Not that Hurts put the team on his back and carried them to the Lombardi Trophy.
This is a textbook case of a system QB. Hurts seemingly can’t dominate a contest all by himself. And that’s why former linebacker Manti Te’o pointed it out on last week’s episode of Good Morning Football.
“I said on this show last week that I think Jalen Hurts is a system quarterback,” Te’o recounted. Yet, the reason the former NFL veteran raised the topic wasn’t to harp on Hurts. He actually wanted to prop the QB up by attempting to change the narrative that being a system QB is a bad thing.
“I’m trying to change that narrative. That being a system player in any type of team or franchise is a bad thing, because it’s not. If you are an NFL football player, you would hope that you go to a team that utilizes your strengths the way that the Eagles utilize Jalen Hurts,” the former linebacker argued.
Preach it from the mountain tops, Manti! Fans constantly diminish players like Brock Purdy, Tua Tagovailoa, and even Tom Brady for fitting into a system. But being a system QB isn’t a bad thing. In fact, players want to be on a team that accentuates the things they do best.
“Jalen Hurts is a Porsche and the @Eagles use him like a Porsche”
Manti Te’o is trying to change the stigma of being called a “system” player pic.twitter.com/k8yhPSeAJT
— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) July 21, 2025
Te’o followed it up with a clever analogy, comparing being a system QB to driving a Porsche. And how the Eagles are using Hurts exactly the way they should.
“Do you take a Porsche off-roading? No, you don’t. If you take a Porsche off-roading, you would think that it’s the worst car ever. But if you use the Porsche the right way, the way that the Porsche is supposed to be used, you understand that this is one of the greatest cars ever. Jalen Hurts is a Porsche, and the Eagles use him the way a Porsche should be used.”
Using the Porsche the right way is exactly what the Eagles do with Hurts. They’ve installed read-option plays to keep defenses guessing with his legs. They’ve also taken advantage of his arm strength and supplied him with great outside receivers in AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith. And, of course, Philadelphia’s Magnum Opus for Hurts is the famous Tush Push that they run to get him easy first downs and touchdowns.
All in all, it’s a perfect setup that they’re working with in Philly. Who cares if Hurts is viewed as a system QB? The system fits him perfectly, and he now has a Super Bowl ring to show for it. So, while the haters will continue to hate, Hurts should keep thriving for a team that could be in the mix for multiple titles when it’s all said and done.
