PHILADELPHIA − It was all set up for Jalen Hurts.
Hurts signed his mega-contract extension Monday that − for now − made him the highest-paid player in NFL history. It happened three years to the date when the Eagles were “shocking the world,” as Hurts put it, by selecting the quarterback in the second round of the 2020 draft.
Back then, no one could have seen Hurts signing a contract worth as much as $255 million over five years. Not when the Eagles were less than one year removed from making Carson Wentz the highest-paid player at the time, with Hurts drafted to be his backup.
Yet Hurts wasn’t going for that narrative, although he did make it a point to mention it a few times in his press conference Monday.
“Three years ago today, Mr. Lurie and Howie had the courage to draft me when no one really understood why,” Hurts said about Eagles chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman. “No one knew why.”
We do now.
TOP 5 FOR EAGLES:Would Eagles select troubled Jalen Carter? Top 5 choices for both Round 1 NFL draft picks
ONE SPECIAL PLAYER:Who’s the ‘unique player’ for Eagles in NFL draft? Hint: Start with Jalen Hurts’ contract
It’s not for what Hurts overcame to reach this point.
By now, you know the backstory, and it’s extensive, going back to losing his starting job at Alabama one year after becoming the first true freshman to lead the Crimson Tide to the national championship, to resurrecting his career as a senior at Oklahoma, to being drafted as Wentz’s backup, to the constant questions about his throwing ability, his accuracy, his future with the Eagles.
And as recently as one year ago, there were still rumors of the Eagles looking into trading for Deshaun Watson or Russell Wilson.
That’s no longer the case, obviously.
And it goes well beyond Hurts leading the Eagles to the Super Bowl, or his MVP-type play in the Eagles’ 38-35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. Hurts threw for 304 yards and ran for 70 more. And it goes beyond Hurts’ drastic improvement last season as a whole when he threw for 3,701 yards and ran for 760 more and finished as the MVP runner-up.
Rather, it was something Lurie mentioned in his opening statement.
Lurie started by calling this “a special moment.” But then Lurie added this about the importance of finding that franchise quarterback: “To have that person be as sterling a character, and as passionate about his craft, and as dedicated as this young 24-year-old is, is remarkable.”
“It’s remarkable that somebody can combine the talent that Jalen has, the personal qualities and the ability − at such a young age − to be a culture setter,” Lurie said. “When you have your best players be your culture setters, it’s a great formula for success. There’s no question in my mind, or anyone’s mind in this building, that Jalen is a culture setter.”
Clearly, Lurie was talking about more than Hurts’ fashion sense as Hurts came to the press conference in a midnight green Gucci suit, with the Gucci label on his left wrist. Or Hurts’ often-used sayings like “keeping the main thing the main thing,” or “this is not an arrival point.”
Hurts said all of those again Monday. But he also broke out new ones, like on the team-released video where he signed his contract: “Nothing changes but the weather.”
And this, when he was asked if it was satisfying to him to be the highest-paid player: “Money is nice; championships are better.”
But Hurts’ impact was evident as Eagles coach Nick Sirianni, offensive coordinator Brian Johnson and wide receivers DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins and Greg Ward were in the back of the auditorium for the press conference. Then they each gave Hurts a hug after he was done.
That’s how much Hurts is respected. Hurts is best friends with star receiver A.J. Brown, who’s coming off a season in which he set a franchise record for receiving yards with 1,496. And longtime center Jason Kelce and defensive linemen Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox have all cited Hurts as one of the main reasons for remaining Eagles when they could have retired in Kelce’s case, or taken more money elsewhere in Cox’s and Graham’s cases.
They all know the contract won’t make Hurts complacent, or satisfied, or different in any way. If anything, it will only make Hurts strive for more.
On this topic, Hurts became expansive.
“I know you don’t come this far and have these opportunities without work, without investing to yourself and to your future and purely putting the work in,” Hurts said. “I know this is just a part of the journey and that’s my whole, entire point.
“As for now, it’s just an approach of embracing what’s coming on the journey and knowing there is no arrival. There is no point where I’ve arrived. This is just a stop in the journey, and the journey continues. … I’m just so hungry. As I said, the hard work continues, and the fire continues to burn time and time again.”
So yes, Hurts has a massive contract at just 24 years old, with only three years of NFL experience under his belt. But this contract isn’t about what Hurts overcame in the past.
It’s about what he’ll do in the future. And it’s about what Hurts is doing in the present to ensure that future.
For example, this is what Hurts said he was doing when that contract was finalized last week.
“I was out west working out,” he said. “They let me know. I had my Facetime calls with my coaches, Mr. Lurie, Howie. And I went back to work. I didn’t really have anything crazy going on, just doing what I always do.”
Hurts was “keeping the main thing the main thing.” Just as he always does.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
