The shock value some have about Jalen Hurts’ success is intriguing.
When he entered the National Football League in the 2020 NFL Draft, most thought his style would not transition.
RELATED: Jalen Hurts’ college affiliation is causing an uproar between Alabama and Oklahoma fans
People thought it would serve him better to change positions, but he stuck to the quarterback role.
Philadelphia rolled the dice on him in the second round, and he has the Eagles one game from the Super Bowl. Hurts is having an MVP-caliber season, posting over 3,000 passing yards and totaling 38 touchdowns. He became the first Alabama football alum at quarterback to lead an NFL team to a playoff victory since Richard Todd did it for the New York Jets in the 1982-83 season. Hurts propelled the Eagles to a 38-7 win over the New York Giants in Sunday’s NFC Division round. Darius Slay, a First Team NFL All-Pro cornerback, could be heading to his first Super Bowl because of Hurts. He explained his respect for Hurts to reporters.
Darius Slay doesn’t just like Jalen Hurts, he loves Jalen Hurts…
This👇 pic.twitter.com/NGptCri4PE
— StaceyDales (@StaceyDales) January 22, 2023
*The video comes via Stacey Dales of NFL Network
“We knew Jalen was going to crush it,” Slay said in the Eagles not surprised about Hurts’ success. “Everybody else might be surprised about it, but not us. That is what we expected from Jalen. He’s a dawg. He is our leader, and he drives this team. Everything he speaks about, he lives about. He is a solid dude, so I go harder for him. He makes me want to run through walls.”
In a joking manner, Slay said he would punch somebody if they touched Hurts.
As a former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback, Hurts has proven his critics wrong. They see him as a complete signal-caller, and the Eagles look brilliant for providing him an opportunity. He will lead Philadelphia against San Francisco this weekend in the NFC Championship Game.
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Stephen M. Smith is the managing editor and senior writer for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can “like” him on Facebook or “follow” him on Twitter, via @CoachingMSmith.
