Entrepreneurs- listen up. Jalen Hurts knows what it feels like to be counted out. He’s lived it.
Benched at Alabama. Forced to transfer to Oklahoma. Drafted in the second round as a “developmental quarterback.” Outdueled by Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl 57.
Each time, he absorbed the loss, went back to work, and came back stronger. And now, he stands at the top of the NFL world, having led the Philadelphia Eagles to a dominant 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 58. The ultimate redemption arc.
But if you were expecting Hurts to bask in the moment, you don’t know Jalen Hurts.
“It’s been a fun ride,” he said, stone-faced at the postgame podium. “I took great pride in never backing down from a challenge. Always turning my negatives into positives.”
His demeanor never wavered. No over-the-top celebration. No defiant “I told you so.” Just business as usual. It’s how he’s always been—steady, focused, never too high or too low.
The Benchings, the Transfers, the Losses
When Hurts talks about turning negatives into positives, he has receipts.
At Alabama, he led the Crimson Tide to the national championship as a freshman. But in the title game a year later, he was benched at halftime for Tua Tagovailoa. Tua delivered a legendary comeback win, and just like that, Hurts’ future in Tuscaloosa was over.
Rather than sulk, he transferred to Oklahoma, became a Heisman finalist, and played himself into an NFL opportunity.
Fast forward to Super Bowl 57. Hurts put up one of the best performances in a losing effort—304 passing yards, a touchdown, and three rushing scores. But one mistake, a costly fumble returned for a touchdown, swung the game to Mahomes and the Chiefs.
A year later, he got his revenge.
Outdueling Mahomes, Owning the Moment
The Chiefs entered this Super Bowl as back-to-back champs. Mahomes was the unquestioned face of the league, the modern-day Jordan of the NFL.
And yet, Hurts never blinked.
He completed 77.3% of his passes—one of the most efficient Super Bowl performances ever—while adding 72 rushing yards and another score.
More importantly, he took care of the ball. No backbreaking turnovers. No self-inflicted wounds. Just complete command of the game.
After the game, Mahomes gave Hurts his flowers.
“I said after the last Super Bowl that he’d be back,” Mahomes said. “He was, and he got the better of me today.”
Cementing His Legacy
For years, Hurts has been seen as “good, but…”—a quarterback propped up by elite weapons and a great offensive line. Now, he joins a rare club: quarterbacks who lost their first Super Bowl and came back to win one. The only other names on that list? John Elway, Bob Griese, and Len Dawson—all Hall of Famers.
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PS; Brown should have stepped out or gone to ground with 1:35 left. Eagles would have run a brotherly shove for the score, but milked the clock to zero. No matter, Mahomes still didn’t score before the half.