Disrespect of Former Alabama Star Has Reached New Heights
· Yahoo Sports
Jalen Hurts may have ended his collegiate career at Oklahoma, but he spent his first three NCAA campaigns with the Alabama Crimson Tide, winning a national championship in 2017 (although he was benched for Tua Tagovailoa during the game).
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Now, Hurts is a Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, making three Pro Bowls since entering the NFL as a second-round draft pick in 2020.
But in spite of the success that Hurts has experienced, he is still not viewed as a genuinely elite signal-caller by many.
In fact, last year, some even wondered if the Eagles could potentially bench Hurts due to his performance.
Hurts was absent from a recent survey of coaches, executives and scouts that ranked the top 10 quarterbacks in football. He also didn't even crack the top 15.
So what's the issue? Why isn't Hurts getting respect around the league?
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler explained it during a recent appearance on 97.5 The Fanatic.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images.“This is an exercise in fear. Fear in the NFL is currency. Do you fear your opponent?" Fowler said. "When you gameplan against the Eagles’ offense, does Hurts keep you up at night? To be a top QB, you have to be No. 1 on that scouting report. When you play the Eagles, it’s Saquon Barkley and the running game.”
Hurts threw for 3,224 yards, 25 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 64.8 percent of his passes last season. The numbers look solid, but there is no question that Hurts was inconsistent for much of 2025 and had plenty of head-scratching moments.
“That is not to diminish Hurts, but he doesn’t have the same fear factor as the top guys,” Fowler added. “I am a little surprised that he is as low as he is. But in the simplest form, the Eagles were in the bottom 3rd in passing offense the last two years. It is hard to have a top 12, even a top 15 QB, with that metric.”
Hurts became Philadelphia's full-time starter in 2021 and led the team to a Super Bowl appearance the following year. So he already has a pair of trips to the Super Bowl on his resume, as well as a championship ring.
But Hurts has also had tremendous weapons at his disposal, so many will credit Hurts' supporting cast more than Hurts himself.
We'll see if Hurts can prove everyone wrong this coming fall.
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