Jalen Hurts was grinning while he was in Orlando.
throughout the Pro Bowl festivities, the quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles was having fun in central Florida, something that was uncommon to see in Philly throughout the season.
In Sunday’s NFC-AFC flag football game, who cares if he failed to lasso a high pass while trying to mimic the Philly Special, which the Eagles executed so masterfully in winning Super Bowl LVII?
Before the Eagles finished the season 1-6, there was no pressure, no tension, and no losing streaks like he had never experienced in his career. Everything had passed him by.
Hurts’ tendency to rush into games and lose enjoyment is a cause for concern at times. It’s possible that he is overly wound.
He claims that winning is all that counts and that’s what he enjoys about the game. He talks about improving every day and the process, but where is the happiness?
Two days after Christmas, I asked Hurts about the 24-hour rule that players talk about—enjoying a win for that long before turning the page—and he told me how he appreciates a win inside those 24 hours. It was a telling interaction.
Hurts said, “I got nothing for that one,” following a lengthy silence. I’m not sure.
“Do you not celebrate by having a nice meal with your family and friends?” I asked.
“I’m going to try and win the game,” he answered. After that’s done, you’re essentially starting over to figure out how to improve on the things you either did well or didn’t do well enough. Although winning is all that counts, there is immense significance in the experiences we get while playing the game—every rep, every unique look we get.
“I really respect that just by carrying out my role and being who I am for the team because it’s really about learning and growth and finding the lessons in whatever you do. It’s only a voyage. However, everybody enjoys winning.
Then, nine days after the season finished, thankfully, Hurts had his farewell press conference against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the postseason. He started talking about next year right away.
“I’m ready to start rocking again,” he declared.
Yes, but I also wanted to know when that adventure will start up again and how much time off you plan to take for enjoyment.
“Unfortunately, the truth is that it has already started,” he replied. “We have already started the road for the upcoming year. That simply serves to increase the excitement and love for it even more.
When things get hard, as they certainly did for the Eagles in the last two months, news start to surface that raise a number of different questions.
Whether true or not, Hurts was questioned about his “chill” attitude, perceived aloofness, and leadership style while the defence was on the field. He was also asked to sit alone on the bench. The quarterback criticised every question in his farewell press conference.
“There are things that were said in the past that helped me become great, unique, a special leader, and a motivating person that some people might find problematic now,” he remarked.
Hurts stated that a different individual is needed for each season, so perhaps there is hope that he would attempt to enjoy himself, or at least demonstrate that he does.
Perhaps you might try to discover more joy and smile more often. or not.
“It’s time to resume working,” he declared. It may seem a bit soon, but it’s time to resume work. I have nothing to flee from.
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