Tua Tagovailoa Gives Insight on Jalen Hurts, Eagles' Defense

Tagovailoa and Hurts are former teammates at Alabama and shared a practice field for the first time during the first of two joint practices together

MIAMI GARDENS – Things are always happening quickly during the Eagles’ joint practice tour, first with the Browns in Berea, Ohio, last week, and, just 48 hours after returning from Cleveland, here in Miami for a round of joint practices with the Dolphins.

The horn sounds and it’s off to another drill.

Always moving, moving, and, in the suffocating humidity of South Florida, always sweating.

There wasn’t much time for the two players wearing uniform No. 1 for their respective teams, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa, to catch up. To share some memories from their time on the practice fields of Tuscaloosa while playing together at the University of Alabama.

When they did have a few seconds on the field, Tagovailoa said Hurts told him, “it’s really hot.”

Jalen Hurts (1) gets ready for a drill during Wednesday's joint practice vs. the Dolphins :: Ed Kracz/SI Fan Nation Eagles Today

The Dolphins offense, led by Tagovailao, got the better of Hurts’ Eagles, but the Dolphins quarterback gave a pretty decent explanation for why – other than the heat, which several Eagles mentioned in their post-practice press conferences.

“I think their defense looked good,” said Tagovailoa. “Obviously, it’s a little different with the climate change, and I do understand they just got done with a game in Cleveland and they just went back to Philly then had to come here to Miami and practice. 

"I think they did a great job coming out here, showing us some really good looks. They gave us some opportunities to have to really execute well on offense.”

Hurts didn’t talk to reporters afterward like Tagovailoa did. The Eagles QB will speak following Thursday’s practice.

So, Tagovailoa was asked what he learned about Hurts during their time together at Alabama, before Hurts transferred for one season at Oklahoma.

“I think first things first, with Jalen, when I went to Alabama, he was a hard worker, in the weight room, in the classroom, and on the field,” he said. “He had to be the first into the weight room, he had to be the first one out onto the field, sprints he had to be first. 

"So, it really tells you how he goes about his life. It tells you about how he kind of sees things, how he looks at things, and obviously he’s a competitor, he never wants to be last. That tells you a lot about him.”

Tagovailoa added that the two QBs don’t spend much time together in the offseason, but they do fire texts back and forth quite frequently.

“I remember last season we were texting each other quite a large amount,” the Miami QB said. “For me, when I ended up playing the Saints, he played the Saints prior. I texted him about that. He gave me some tips.

“He texted me about playing another team, I gave him some tips. Just things like that. I think that was cool. I know our relationship with me and Jalen is not going to go anywhere. ... regardless of how many times we talk throughout the year, throughout the week, or if we don’t.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.