In case you missed it, Jalen Hurts is on the news today.
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen said Jeffrey Lurie wants the Eagles’ second-year defender to head the team in 2021.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter, meanwhile, spoke to Hurts himself in the last episode of Adam Schefter’s Podcast. Here are some of the highlights.
WORKING TO IMPROVE
SCHEFTER: How will you remember your first season with the Eagles, Jalen?
HURTS: I think I will remember this as a true learning experience, like anything and everything that I have been through and dealt with. Thankful for the opportunity to be called up for the Eagles and for being in the position I am in now. But I have a lot to learn for myself. I am very critical of myself and maintain the highest standards when it comes to doing things the way I want. And I can learn a lot from that first year. Very good, very bad. I am excited to improve and learn from these things and I hope to do some special things in the second year.
BECOMING THE PRESIDENT DEPARTURE
SCHEFTER: What do you think about entering your second season as the likely defender?
It hurts: I think nothing changes for me in my mentality. Entering every day, trying to improve as a player. Be the best leader I can be. Impact on the guys around me. Ultimately, it is about winning football games and the interest is in doing so. So, my mentality doesn’t change, not at all.
CARSON WENTZ TRADE REACTION
SCHEFTER: And what was your reaction to the team that switched Carson?
It hurts: I kind of kept the same mentality that I had all this time in terms of being the best player I can be. It’s not much of my business, I don’t go into it.
SCHEFTER: So, when it goes down and it’s traded, are you surprised?
It hurts: I think it’s just an opportunity for me. I think it shows confidence in what I can be as a player, so I want to prove that they are right.
SCHEFTER: And what did you learn from Carson, working with him in his first NFL season, Jalen?
It hurts: Carson has a lot of experience, his five years of experience, I always said, are much more for mine, or better, for my four games. But just seeing how he handled things in the field. Being close to all the defenders in that room, and coaches too, just seeing your perspective of the game and your view of the game. See what they like to do, see what they don’t like to do and just learn from it. I try to be a sponge and dive as much as I can. And each player is different. Just being close to that, being close to professionals doing their job and learning from them.
SCHEFTER: You have to be close to him every day, so what do you expect him to do this season in Indianapolis?
It hurts: I extend my blessings to him. I wish him nothing but the best. And I hope he leaves. I hope he has a great rest of his career.
SCHEFTER: Did you have any interaction in communicating with him after the negotiation, Jalen?
It hurts: No, sir.
OUTLET OF THE YEAR 1
SCHEFTER: And when we look at our first year, what will be the only memory that you will carry?
It hurts: I think, as a competitor, not making it to the playoffs. Do not enter the playoffs and put us in a position to run and do something special. So, this is what I remember most. Just like in college. I had to endure many things in college. Many things that happened along my way and on my journey. But what I remember most is my first year, and everyone thought I made the victory touchdown, losing the game for the national title in Tampa. So, you remember the bad things before you remember the good things.
SCHEFTER: And what do you get out of it? What do you learn from that?
It hurts: Finish. Everything is important. Everything is important. Enjoy every moment and enjoy every moment.
SOME OTHER NOTABLES
- Hurts confirmed that he is training with Patrick Mahomes’ longtime coach Bobby Stroupe, in addition to training with Quincy Avery. Avery has trained Deshaun Watson in a remarkable way.
- Hurts talked about the importance of building relationships with your teammates and checking on the guys.
- Hurts referred to the GOAT when talking about improvement. “It’s like Michael Jordan always said, ‘If you want to make your shot better, you shoot the ball. You want a better three, you shoot at three. ‘”
- Hurts called the former Eagles’ college mate and potential in the first round of DeVonta Smith “a subtle criminal”.
- It hurts Jaylen Waddle: “a great player […] like a little brother to me […] there is nothing he cannot do […] the sky is the limit for him. ”
- It hurts Schefter by asking him if he wouldn’t mind Waddle being the Eagles’ choice in sixth place: “(laughs) I’m not responding to that!”
MY QUICK THOUGHTS
- It is hard not to love Hurts’ mentality. It can be argued that there is a lot of “Big Loser Energy” (BLE) in Eagles. Hurts, on the other hand, has Big Winner Energy (BWE). You need more of that at the NovaCare Complex. All we hear about Hurts is how hungry he is to get better.
- Hard not to like Hurts working with the guys who worked with Mahomes and Watson.
- Hurts and Wentz clearly did not have a very close relationship! It’s not really a surprise, given the strange dynamics. Still, it is interesting to see Hurts’ direct response to Schefter asking whether he has communicated with Wentz since the exchange.
- Hurts was not very engaging (that’s putting it mildly!) With the media after he was drafted and before he became the titular player. It is good to see how it has opened up a little more since then. Check out the full interview (about 13 minutes or more) if you find the time.