Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts: From Triple Threat to Silent, Selfless Assassin

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is not only calm and instinctive but selfless, focusing on his teammates with sentences filled with "we."

PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts has been called a triple threat because the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback can beat you with his arm, his legs, and his mind. 

Jason Kelce has another nickname for him.

“He’s a silent assassin,” said the veteran center who is 11 years older than his QB. “He’s calm and he has that instinctiveness when it matters most. When you look at quarterbacks who do extremely well, they have that trait when a play isn’t there, something’s not happening, they know how to make something happen. He does it about as well as anybody out there.”

Something else about him: Jalen Hurts never makes it about Jalen Hurts.

Ask him a question about a play he makes, such as the incredible throw he made to Olamide Zaccheaus early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 37-34 win over the Buffalo Bills, and he starts talking about having to watch the film then about everybody and everything else.

Anything, really, but him.

“He made a great catch,” said Hurts about the throw to a well-covered Zaccheaus in the back of the end zone after scrambling to his left. It was a touchdown that gave the Eagles a 28-24 lead, their first lead since 7-0 and first after trailing by 17-7 and 24-14.

Hurts went on to talk about DeVonta Smith’s 15-yard touchdown catch and A.J. Brown contributing some big-time plays, such as his seventh touchdown of the season, a 3-yarder. The quarterback threw D’Andre Swift in there, too, referencing the running back’s 36-yard gain that kickstarted the offense in the second half.

He is as selfless as they come, with answers to reporters' questions that are filled with “we.”

Jalen Hurts leaves field after accounting for five touchdowns in the Philadelphia Eagles overtime win over the Buffalo Bills / USA Today

His two fourth-quarter touchdown passes? Well, let one of the players who knows Hurts best answer.

“There aren’t too many guys that I’ve played with – probably nobody I’ve played with – that’s been more clutch down the stretch,” said center Jason Kelce, who is 11 years older than his QB. “You look at two-minute situations, game on the line, and look at the Super Bowl, he’s just been so good in crucial situations when things have to happen. That’s a trait not to take lightly.

“I think if you look at most of the best players that is a trait that they have to have. It’s a big reason we’ve won the last three weeks is his ability to really get it down the stretch when it matters most.”

Let his coach, Nick Sirianni, handle that one, too.

“He's been clutch for us, clutch for this city, clutch for this team for the past three years now,” said Sirianni. “He just kept going and put his head down and worked and made some big-time plays at the end.”

There is so much about himself Hurts could talk about, but simply won’t.

Such as:

• Becoming just the second QB with 10-plus wins over his team's first 11 games in back-to-back seasons since 1950, joining Peyton Manning (2005-06), per NFL Research.

• Having won eight straight games after trailing by double digits.

• Becoming the first quarterback in NFL history with 10-plus rushing touchdowns in three straight seasons.

• Directing his fourth game-winning drive of the year, finishing this one off with a 12-yard QB draw in overtime.

“That’s not for me to concern or roll with,” said Hurts about his clutch moments. “I just try to go out there and play to the standard and be the best I can be for my team. There were times (Sunday) I felt like I didn’t do that, but when it mattered most I felt like we did a good job of doing what we needed to do.

“We played team football, communicated well, and that’s all in the outcome of what happened. We really were on the same page when it mattered most and that’s all you can ask for. Anything else people want to roll with, I guess that’s for them to do so.”

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts Sets NFL Record with Rushing TD vs. Bills