Jalen Hurts Showcasing Leadership in First Training Camp as QB1

After Jalen Hurts took over for Carson Wentz late in the 2020 season, the reviews were pretty mixed after just four starts from the young rookie.

Hurts earned his first victory in his first start ever, defeating the New Orleans Saints to end a three-game losing streak and bring some stability to the position in Philly.

The following week, Hurts played his best NFL game to date, throwing 338 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions along with 63 rushing yards and a touchdown. Despite the efforts of Hurts, the Eagles came up just short in a 33-26 loss to Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals that effectively ended Philly's playoff chances.

The season ending left Hurts with a sour taste in his mouth and with something to prove headed into 2021, with now former head coach Doug Pederson inexplicably benching Hurts in the 4th quarter of the the final game of the regular season. The benching essentially handed the division title to the Washington Football Team.

Now, with the dawn of a new season upon us and Philadelphia declining to address the quarterback position in the draft, Hurts is the unquestioned starter heading into 2021.

With his first training camp as QB1 getting underway this past week, Hurts has impressed both his teammates and coaches.

One thing we have known about Jalen Hurts going all the way back to his days at Alabama is this: the man is a natural born leader.

Get our free mobile app

Hurts' leadership has been something that coaches and teammates alike have remarked on for years. Since his days at Alabama, he has been on display as a truly selfless teammate, and he is not taking for granted the opportunity to lead a team as the presumed starter once again.

As for his play on the field, the reviews have been mostly positive for Hurts in just his second NFL training camp, with some to still be desired.

Hurts has flashed plenty of moments for Eagles fans to be excited about, but has struggled a bit with consistency according to some reports. All the while, Hurts is focused on trying to get "one percent better every day".

"When you climb this mountain, it doesn’t happen overnight,” said Hurts earlier in the week. “You have to be patient with that, but you have to put the time in. You have to remain diligent with your work, put maximum effort in every day. The biggest thing about this football thing, is one percent better every day. Invest in yourself and to the team every day and going out there and playing hard.”

Head coach Nick Sirianni has been focusing on trying to get Hurts' footwork under control while not messing with the arm mechanics that have gotten him to where he is. Not only this, but the first year head coach is also trying to get Hurts to work on his ball control and security when moving outside the pocket.

“He has a tendency as he moves to keep one hand on the ball,” said the coach. “We've just got to get the two hands on the football as he moves in the pocket. So, fundamentals at every position is critical."

With another month of practices and preseason games, Hurts will continue to strive to get better every day and make general manager Howie Roseman happy with his decision to stick with him over Carson Wentz.