When the final whistle blew at Super Bowl LIX, signaling the Philadelphia Eagles’ victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, Jalen Hurts didn’t immediately celebrate. For a brief moment, he stood still amidst the chaos, as if taking mental inventory of the long, winding road that led him here – from the sidelines of Channelview High School to college football’s greatest heights and crushing lows, to the pinnacle of professional sports.
From Texas Roots to Football Obsession
In the afterglow of becoming Super Bowl MVP in February 2025, Jalen Hurts spoke candidly: “This moment isn’t just about me. It’s about everyone who believed when others didn’t. It’s about staying ready when the world tells you it’s over.”
This is the story of football’s most resilient quarterback—a man who turned “benched” into “benchmarked” and transformed setbacks into comebacks.
Born in the Shadow of Friday Night Lights
If you’re looking for the origin story of Jalen Alexander Hurts, you have to start in Channelview, Texas – a place where high school football isn’t just a sport but practically a religion. Born on August 7, 1998, to Averion Sr. and Pamela Hurts, young Jalen didn’t just grow up around football; he was practically baptized in it.
His father was the head football coach at Channelview High School, which meant that for Jalen, the football field was essentially an extension of his living room. By third grade, he was already wearing shirts declaring he was “born to play football.” This wasn’t just cute childhood bravado – it was prophecy.
A Family Built on Football and Faith
“I guess family upbringing and faith has molded him into the young man that he is,” Pamela reflected in an interview. “He’s always been very disciplined and has always done the right thing.”
Discipline is a word that follows Jalen like a shadow. While other kids were playing video games, he was studying playbooks. While they were sleeping in on weekends, he was running drills with his father. His older brother Averion Jr., also a quarterback, set the competitive bar high within the household.
Their home may have been modest, but what the Hurts lacked in material wealth, they made up for with gritty determination and an industrial work ethic – qualities that would come to define Jalen’s approach to the game and life itself.
High School Stardom and the Rise of a Dual-Threat QB
Middle school saw Jalen lining up as a receiver before his father’s influence steered him toward the quarterback position. It wasn’t his first choice, but it turned out to be the right one. Under his father’s watchful eye at Channelview High, young Hurts flourished, eventually earning the title of District 21-6A Overall MVP during his junior year.
Channelview High School: Where Legends Begin
His senior season stats read like a video game on easy mode: 2,384 passing yards, 26 touchdown passes, plus another 1,391 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground. He wasn’t just playing football; he was rewriting the rulebook on dual-threat quarterbacking.
But it wasn’t just about the numbers. Anyone who watched him play could see that this kid had something special – an uncanny poise in the pocket, a leader’s presence in the huddle, and the kind of resilience that can’t be taught, only lived.
MVP Stats and a Mindset of No Plan B
“Jalen never had a Plan B,” says Byron Henderson, one of his high school coaches. “For him, it was always about becoming the best quarterback he could be. He didn’t just want to play; he wanted to dominate.”
By the time college scouts started showing up at Channelview games, Jalen had established himself as a four-star recruit and one of the nation’s top dual-threat quarterbacks. Alabama’s Nick Saban, a coach with an eye for talent that borders on the supernatural, saw something in the young quarterback from Texas. After a compelling recruiting visit in 2015, Hurts committed to the Crimson Tide.
Alabama Dreams and Freshman Fire
When Jalen Hurts arrived at the University of Alabama in January 2016, he wasn’t just stepping onto a college campus; he was entering the most storied program in college football – a place where national championships aren’t hoped for, they’re expected.
Becoming Alabama’s First Freshman QB in Decades
Most freshmen would be content to watch and learn from the bench. Not Jalen. By the start of the 2016 season, he had done the unthinkable: becoming the first true freshman to start at quarterback for Alabama in 32 years.
“He has the ‘it’ factor,” Saban said at the time. “He’s very athletic, but he has a presence about him. He’s very calm. He doesn’t get frustrated with himself. He’s been able to maintain his focus through good plays and bad plays.”
SEC Glory and National Championship Battles
That focus led to an 11-1 regular season record, an SEC Championship over Florida, and a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship. Though they lost to Clemson in a nail-biter, Hurts had already cemented his place in Alabama lore and was named SEC Offensive Player of the Year and SEC Freshman of the Year.
The 2017 season saw more of the same brilliance, with Hurts guiding the Tide to a 12-1 record and another championship berth. Everything was going according to script for the sophomore phenom.
Until it wasn’t.
The Bench That Built a Champion
January 8, 2018. The College Football Playoff National Championship. Alabama vs. Georgia. By halftime, the Crimson Tide were down 13-0, and their offense was sputtering like an old car in desperate need of a tune-up.
The 2018 Championship: When Hurts Was Benched
Then came the decision that would alter the trajectory of Jalen’s career: Coach Saban benched him in favor of true freshman Tua Tagovailoa.
It would have been easy – understandable, even – for Hurts to crumble under the weight of public humiliation. After all, he had led Alabama to consecutive championship games, compiled a 26-2 record as a starter, and become the face of the program. Now, on college football’s biggest stage, he was relegated to watching from the sidelines as another quarterback led his team to glory.
But that’s not who Jalen Hurts is.
Supporting Tua and Redefining Leadership
While the cameras caught many athletes in similar situations sulking or detaching, they captured Hurts actively encouraging Tagovailoa, celebrating when the team scored, and remaining fully engaged in the game. When Alabama completed their comeback victory, Hurts was among the first to congratulate the teammate who had taken his job.
“It’s not about me,” Hurts said afterward. “We’re national champs. This is what matters.”
In an era where players frequently transfer at the first sign of competition, Hurts quietly showed young athletes how to handle adversity. He stayed at Alabama for the 2018 season, accepting his role as Tagovailoa’s backup without complaint. He practiced as if he were still the starter. He prepared as if the team would need him at any moment.
And as it turned out, they would.
Redemption in the 2018 SEC Championship Game
Fast forward to December 1, 2018. The SEC Championship game. Alabama vs. Georgia (again). With Alabama trailing in the fourth quarter, Tagovailoa went down with an injury.
Enter Jalen Hurts.
The script couldn’t have been written any better by Hollywood: the quarterback who lost his job in the previous year’s championship game against this very same opponent now had the chance to be the hero.
And hero he was.
With ice in his veins, Hurts orchestrated a comeback for the ages. He threw a game-tying touchdown pass and, with just over a minute remaining, scored the winning touchdown on a 15-yard run. The stadium erupted. His teammates mobbed him. Even the normally stoic Saban was spotted with tears in his eyes.
“I’ve probably never been more proud of a player than Jalen,” Saban said in the emotional aftermath. “It’s unprecedented to have a guy that won as many games as he won, to have a guy that was the MVP of the SEC Championship Game, to get benched and then come back to win the SEC Championship Game. The guy’s the ultimate team player, the ultimate competitor.”
That night in Atlanta wasn’t just a football victory; it was a testament to the power of perseverance, preparation, and character. Jalen Hurts didn’t just win a game; he won the respect of everyone watching.
A New Chapter at Oklahoma
Despite his heroics in the SEC Championship, Hurts knew his future at Alabama was limited. Using the graduate transfer rule, he moved to the University of Oklahoma for his final year of collegiate eligibility, where he would thrive under the guidance of offensive guru Lincoln Riley.
Transferring for Opportunity and Growth
At Oklahoma, Hurts transformed from a talented dual-threat quarterback into a polished passer. He threw for 3,851 yards and 32 touchdowns while rushing for 1,298 yards and 20 scores, finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting.
Heisman Contention and NFL Preparation
“He came to us with a professional mentality,” Riley recalled. “What we tried to do was get him to play with more freedom, more joy. He had been carrying so much weight on his shoulders for so long.”
That combination of professionalism and newfound freedom caught the NFL’s attention.
Draft Day Doubts and NFL Beginnings
When the Philadelphia Eagles selected Jalen Hurts in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft, eyebrows rose across the league. The Eagles had just signed quarterback Carson Wentz to a massive contract extension. Why use a high draft pick on another quarterback?
The Eagles’ Controversial Pick
Eagles fans reacted with confusion and criticism. Draft analysts questioned Hurts’ passing ability and speculated he might be used in gadget plays rather than as a traditional quarterback.
Once again, Jalen found himself in a situation where others doubted him. And once again, he responded not with words but with work.
Taking Over from Carson Wentz
Hurts began his NFL career as Wentz’s backup, but opportunity would soon knock. When Wentz struggled during the 2020 season, Hurts got his chance in Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers. His performance earned him the starting role for the following week against the New Orleans Saints, where he made history by rushing for over 100 yards in his first NFL start.
When the Eagles traded Wentz to the Indianapolis Colts in February 2021, the message was clear: this was Jalen’s team now.
In his first full season as starter, Hurts led the Eagles to a 9-8 record and a playoff berth. Good, but not great. The doubters remained vocal: Was he accurate enough? Could he read defenses? Was he really a franchise quarterback?
The First Steps of a Franchise Quarterback
The 2022 season provided the answer: an emphatic yes. Hurts guided the Eagles to a 14-1 record in his starts and the top seed in the NFC. Their magical run extended all the way to Super Bowl LVII, where they narrowly lost to the Kansas City Chiefs.
“That loss lit a fire in me,” Jalen Hurts admitted later. “I came so close to achieving something I’ve dreamed about my entire life, only to fall short. But that’s not the end of the story.”
Indeed, it wasn’t.
Falling Short, Then Rising Higher
The 2024 season saw Hurts playing some of the best football of his career. His completion percentage jumped to 68.7%, and he continued to be a dual-threat nightmare for opposing defenses.
The Super Bowl LVII Loss That Fueled Him
But stats only tell part of the story. What his teammates noticed was a different level of leadership—a quarterback who had experienced both the highs and lows of the sport and emerged stronger for it.
“He has the clutch gene,” one Eagles teammate remarked. “When the game is on the line, there’s nobody else we’d rather have with the ball in his hands.”
Super Bowl LIX – The Moment of Mastery
That clutch gene was on full display in Super Bowl LIX, where Jalen Hurts faced off against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in a rematch of their previous Super Bowl meeting. This time, the outcome would be different.
Jalen Hurts delivered a masterclass performance, throwing for 310 yards and three touchdowns while adding another score on the ground. The Eagles dominated the Chiefs 40-22, and Hurts was unanimously named Super Bowl MVP.
As he stood on the podium, hoisting both the Lombardi Trophy and his MVP award, the journey came full circle. The kid from Channelview who was once benched in a championship game had now reached the pinnacle of the sport.
The Hurts Philosophy
Ask Jalen about his success, and he’s likely to redirect the conversation to his faith and his process.
Faith, Family, and the “Rent is Due” Mentality
“I keep God at the center of everything I do,” he often says. “I give Him all the praise.”
Then there’s his now-famous mantra: “Rent is due every day.” It’s a philosophy that encapsulates his approach to life—the understanding that yesterday’s achievements count for nothing today, that success requires constant renewal through hard work and dedication.
Discipline and Leadership Beyond the Field
His father, Averion Sr., put it simply: “Jalen Hurts has always understood that nothing worth having comes easy. You want to be great? You pay the price every single day.”
That price includes grueling workouts, endless film study, and a level of self-discipline that borders on monastic. It’s about doing the right things when no one is watching and staying ready for opportunities that may never come—until they do.
“There is no arrival,” Jalen Hurts is fond of saying. “Only the journey.”
The Legacy in Progress
At just 27 years old, Jalen Hurts has already cemented himself as one of the most inspirational figures in modern sports. His career serves as a masterclass in resilience—a reminder that setbacks are often setups for comebacks of greater magnitude.
For young athletes watching his journey, the lesson is clear: success isn’t about avoiding failure; it’s about how you respond to it. It’s about staying ready even when benched, staying humble even when celebrated, and staying hungry even when satisfied.
Britain Covey, one of his Eagles teammates, put it best: “Jalen Hurts is the best leader I’ve ever been around. Period.”
As the confetti settled on the field after Super Bowl LIX, and as Hurts prepared to visit Disney World as is tradition for Super Bowl MVPs, he was asked what message he wanted to send to kids watching at home who have faced their own adversities.
“Keep the main thing the main thing,” he said with that characteristic quiet confidence. “Trust your process. Trust God’s timing. And remember that sometimes the detours in life end up being the most beautiful parts of the journey.”
For Jalen Hurts—the quarterback who was once benched, doubted, and dismissed—the journey continues. And if history is any indication, the best chapters are still unwritten.
If Jalen Hurts’ journey moved you, you’ll find even more inspiration in the story of another unbreakable NFL quarterback. Alex Smith’s return to football after a devastating injury and 17 surgeries is a powerful testament to human resilience, courage, and the will to fight back—no matter the odds.
Photo: Por All-Pro Reels – https://www.flickr.com/photos/joeglo/52511107638/, CC BY-SA 2.0,
