Jalen Hurts

Hurts explains his process to get better in offseason

Jalen Hurts was an MVP runner-up in 2022 but he's still focused on getting better this offseason

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By now you’ve heard Jalen Hurts say this. Probably a million times.

“There is no arrival. There’s only the journey.”

As far as bumper sticker sayings go, that’s a pretty good one. But it’s one that Hurts really seems to embrace and it’s not a coincidence he said it again as the Eagles’ wrapped up OTAs last Thursday.

It might be hard for the rest of us to imagine the 24-year-old franchise quarterback getting better after a breakout 2022 season. Heck, he finished as the runner-up for the MVP award.

The Eagles still expect Hurts to improve but the important part is that Hurts himself still expects to get better this offseason. That part will never change.

“My emphasis has been just turning my weaknesses into my strengths,” Hurts said last week. “Now, somebody’s going to ask what are my weaknesses. That’s for me to know. But it’s all just about getting better. It’s about getting better. 

“I think about all the different things last year that I did at a high level and to my standards and the things I didn’t do at a high level. But I think the thing that kind of keeps me going is being my biggest critic. Certain things are allowed but for me it may not be. So knowing that, staying true to that, staying true to myself and then also staying true to my coaches. Taking that coaching and continuing to grow.”

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It was a little easier to pinpoint Hurts’ weaknesses coming off his first full season as an NFL starter in 2021. It’s much harder this offseason after Hurts’ incredible 2022 campaign.

Hurts doesn’t identify those weaknesses on his own. While Hurts says he’s his own biggest critic, he does listen to others. There’s a reason why head coach Nick Sirianni called Hurts the most coachable player he’s ever been around.

“That’s a team thing,” Hurts said. “I think perspective is everything, especially as a leader. Because it’s very beneficial for me to go and talk to a guy like (Darius) Slay, for instance, and say, ‘Hey, what you see?’ Coach Sirianni or [Jonathan Gannon], who is now with the Cardinals. Whatever it is. Those are all things that I use to try to better my game.”

Hurts has never been above criticism, especially the constructive kind. You already know that his father was his high school coach but it’s important to remember that fact every time we hear about how coachable he is. No one is ever a tougher critic of Jalen Hurts than Jalen Hurts and no one has ever coached Jalen Hurts harder than Averion Hurts.

At this point in Hurts’ career, he seems to take a certain amount of pride from the coachable label. In fact, Hurts said he and A.J. Brown have talked about that exact topic. They realize that when they remain coachable, it sets a good example for the rest of their teammates. 

Think about it: If the team’s resident MVP candidate is willing to be coached hard, then no one else on the team has a reason to push back.

“You’re setting an example for everyone else in the room,” Hurts said. “It’s a great opportunity for the culture and the environment to be set that it’s OK to be coached. I’ve been coached hard my whole entire life. So in terms of accountability, I think that’s really big.”

Hurts in 2022 led the Eagles to a 14-1 record in the regular season. He completed 66.5% of his passes for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns and 6 interceptions. He also rushed for 760 yards and 13 more scores. There’s less room for improvement this offseason than last but there’s still an opportunity to get better, especially as a passer.

Hurts last week said he expects to get together with some of his receivers this offseason to continue to build that bond. Both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith had 1,000-yard seasons but those relationships continue to build.

And even though the Eagles lost offensive coordinator Shane Steichen, they promoted Brian Johnson, who has known Hurts since the quarterback was a child, to replace him. And Sirianni’s offense hasn’t changed. The more a quarterback plays in an offense, the more he understands it, the more he masters it.

The Eagles were a 14-win team in 2022 and came awfully close to winning the Super Bowl in February. They can’t afford to relax, though. And one of the messages from the team and leadership is that they all have to continue to grow.

Earlier this offseason, Nakobe Dean dropped a line from his high school coach that Hurts would probably agree with: “You’re only getting better or you’re getting worse.”

That’s Hurts’ mindset too. And it’s one he wants the entire team to have.

“We’re just trying to evolve and grow,” Hurts said. “But in the end, I think it’s just important to do that as a team because you just want to continue to grow. That’s what it’s all about. I think that’s something a lot of us on this football team, we’ve been able to do that over time. We just want to stick to the script on that and stay diligent in our work and continue to take steps.”

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