Jalen Hurts Named Pro Athlete of the Year by Alabama Sports Writers Association

At age 24, the former Crimson Tide standout had a breakthrough season with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

It's ironic that the breakout year for Jalen Hurts in the National Football League happened during a season in which he was known for finishing second. 

In addition to leading his team to the Super Bowl, the 24-year-old was the runner-up for the NFL MVP award. 

But how many other former athletes from the state would have wanted to have that kind season? All of them, which is why Hurts was named the Alabama Sports Writers Association's Pro Athlete of the Year on Monday.  

He was undoubtedly the most important player to his team among pro athletes who were either from Alabama or played collegiately in the state. 

Just ask his head coach, Nick Sirianni. When the Philadelphia Eagles dispatched the New York Giants in the NFC divisional round of the playoffs, 38-7, he compared having a healthy Hurts to Michael Jordan in one crucial way: “He's your leader. He's your guy.”

The Eagles were 15-2 with Hurts at quarterback including the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and 0-2 without him. 

Although Hurts finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma and placed second for the 2019 Heisman Trophy, he won 26 games as a starting quarterback and a national championship ring with the Crimson Tide, plus completed his undergraduate degree at Alabama. 

Despite being part of the legendary quarterback room that included Mac Jones and Tua Tagovailoa, who are both NFL starters as well, Hurts accumulated the following accolades at Alabama: 

• 2016 SEC Offensive Player of the Year
• 2016 All-SEC
• First freshman quarterback to start under Nick Saban
• Finished fourth all-time at Alabama in winning percentage at 92.9 percent (26-2)
• Owned the all-time record for rushing touchdowns by an Alabama quarterback with 23 through his 42 career games
• Ranked second in career rushing by a quarterback with 1,976 yards and finished second in program history touchdown responsibility with 71
• Accumulated 7,617 yards of total offense, third in Alabama history. Totaled 48 career touchdown passes, third most all-time

The game that may have foreshadowed his future NFL success was the one he's probably known best for, the 2018 SEC Championship.  When Tagovailoa wasn’t able to continue due to ankle injuries, Saban had to call on Hurts with Alabama down 28-21 and roughly 11 minutes to go.

Eleven months after he had been pulled from the national title game — against the same team, and in the same location, Atlanta — Hurts threw for a touchdown and ran for another, to lead the No. 1 Crimson Tide to a 35-28 comeback victory over No. 4 Georgia .

"I've probably never been more proud of a player than Jalen," Saban said at the time.

He later, looking back on the season, commented: “I've always said how much respect I have for both the guys. How you handle things when you're in a difficult situation I think speaks volumes of who you are.”

ASWA Professional Athlete of the Year

2022 Jalen Hurts
2021 Trevon Diggs
2020 Derrick Henry
2019 Derrick Henry
2018 Philip Rivers
2017 Justin Thomas
2016 Julio Jones
2015 Cam Newton
2014 Deontay Wilder
2013 Jason Dufner
2012 Craig Kimbrel
2011 Cam Newton
2010 Graeme McDowell
2009 Stewart Cink
2008 Mo Williams
2007 Jake Peavy
2006 DeMeco Ryans
2005 Shaun Alexander
2004 Ben Wallace
2003 Shaun Alexander
2002 Ben Wallace
2001 Shaun Alexander
2000 Tim Hudson
1999 Tim Hudson
1998 Ronald McKinnon
1997 Frank Thomas
1996 Kevin Greene
1995 Robert Horry
1994 Frank Thomas
1993 Frank Thomas
1992 Davey Allison
1991 Frank Thomas
1990 Charles Barkley
1989 Bo Jackson
1988 Corneilus Bennett
1987 Jimmy Key
1986 Charles Barkley
1985 John Hannah
1984 Ozzie Newsome
1983 Bobby Allison
1982 Andrew Toney
1981 Dieter Brock
1980 William Andrews
1979 John Stallworth
1978 Bobby Allison
1977 Hubert Green
1976 Jerry Pate
1975 Kenny Stabler
1974 Henry Aaron