The Eagles are up 21–0 over the Tennessee Titans, the entire sideline is celebrating, laughing, and chopping it up. Well, everyone except Jalen Hurts. He’s by himself, staring at the field, focused.
He’s just different.
After being benched during the college national championship game at halftime for freshman Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen was the first person out there to congratulate his replacement after his first drive led to a touchdown on his way to rallying the Alabama Tide to a 26–23 overtime win.
He’s just different.
Jalen spent the entire off-season hearing fans, media, and former players criticize his play, ability, and even his spot on the roster. Yet he never responded. He just stayed focused and continued improving his craft utilizing the one attribute very few have ever doubted. His work ethic.
While others in similar circumstances have been bitter or demanded to be traded, Hurts used it as fuel and changed the mind of each doubter one game at a time.
“That turns me up. It lights a fire in me. It does something to me, because I know I’ll prove you wrong.”
Say it with me, he’s just…..
You get the point by now.
And it’s not just his play, demeanor, or unrelenting workouts that make him different. It’s also that beautiful mind of his.
It’s who he has chosen to lead his off-the-field management team, which is a decision that has made him the most different.
Jalen has comprised an all-women-led team. Who he describes as
“straight hustlers”
The Team:
January 2020. Jalen has just played the last game of his college career. Nicole Lynn, now his agent, had sent Hurts a message via Instagram.
“Hey, have you picked an agent? If not, I’d love to link.”
A shot in the dark, even the way Lynn describes it.
“A total Hail Mary”
Most players heading into the NFL Draft have already chosen their agent. But Hurts was still in the process. And the fact she was a female didn’t deter Jalen from seeing what she had to offer.
“I wanted to hear her out”
Lynn has stated that she met with Jalen’s dad for three hours before meeting with Hurts himself. She left the meeting not knowing what to expect and didn’t have a read for how it went.
“Jalen has a poker face. He doesn’t show a ton of emotion”
But Jalen had seemingly noticed something about her.
You know that fire he described earlier that turns him up and feeds his desire to prove everyone wrong?
“I saw that same fire in Nicole. She (Lynn) said, ‘I’m a woman. People are going to overlook me. People are going to doubt me. They’re not going to give me the due respect. But I’m overcoming it, just like you do’. And that’s where we really hit it off. We had the same vision.”
And his vision, which included choosing Lynn to be his agent, would be just the beginning.
Jalen put together a team of the brightest and the best he could find. And coincidentally, they just all happened to be female.
“I’ve put a lot of trust and faith in a female-driven team. I admire anyone who puts their head down and works for what they want. And I know women who do that daily, but they don’t get the same praise as men. They don’t get the praise that they deserve”
Jalen’s decisions may help to change that.
“My goal in speaking out on this is to advocate for and support the investment in women in sports.”
And Jalen didn’t just speak out, he responded with action by hiring Jenna Malphrus, management. Chantal Romain, communications. Shakeemah Simmons-Winter, communications. Rachel Everett, marketing. And the aforementioned Nicole Lynn, Agent.
“I have a team of straight hustlers. And that’s how I am on the field and off the field.”
So far the results speak for themselves. Everything has gone well and he and his team have been hustling both off and on the field.
The Field:
“People had doubts on me. People still have doubts on me.”
Running QBs can’t win.
Jalen’s a 2nd round pick for a reason.
An all-woman management team can’t succeed in the NFL.
Even Dallas Cowboys defensive player Micah Parsons recently opined that the team was good due to their system, and not because of Hurts.
And while others have expressed doubts, Hurts never has shared their opinions.
“I carry my scars with me everywhere I go. I don’t forget. Do I waste my energy worrying about the opinion of someone else? No. Everyone and their opinion doesn’t deposit at the bank”
Earlier this offseason Jalen commented that“rent’s due every day” (his term for putting in the hard work)and he has stayed focused on what he can control and has not been concerned about Micah’s, or anyone else’s opinion. All of that is just noise to him and propaganda for the talk shows.
On the field, Jalen is focused, and he’s been making deposits via effort, and that investment has been rewarded via the results.
In his last 17 regular season starts (equivalent to one full season) the Eagles are 16–1.
Jalen has completed 67.1% of his passes. Thrown for 4,181 yards and 25 touchdowns for a QB rating of 104.0. He also added 836 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns.
His play also has the Eagles on the verge of clinching the number one seed in the NFC by winning one of their final 3 games. Jalen is assuaging the fears of his doubters on and off the field.
The Future:
So, as we sit here reflecting on “what’s next” for Jalen Hurts, maybe we are all watching someone who is the exception to the rule.
Or.
Maybe we are all learning that he is the person that will break down the door of exceptions and transform the way others will be judged in the future.
Maybe analysts, fans, and the media will not be so quick to tear down players, especially Quarterbacks who have unique skill sets and an additional ability to be able to effectively run.
Maybe his efforts and decisions will be one of the sparks that light a fire that leads to how women are viewed in sports and management.
Maybe, just maybe, we are looking at a real-life unicorn. Someone who will impact all of the aforementioned, and much more.
Like a coffee bean.
“You know, I think you’ve got to try to be the coffee bean. Whenever I say coffee bean, you’ve got the carrot and the egg. You put an egg in boiling water, it hardens up. It doesn’t affect anything. The carrot softens up. The coffee bean spreads and gets stronger and impacts the people around you, you know? I’m trying to be that coffee bean.”
A walking quote machine that has had such zingers as“I’m the thermostat! I set the temperature of the room” also makes an analogy using the word coffee bean. He makes the phrase sound cool while also encouraging us all to strive to be one.
A coffee bean.
Jalen Hurts.
He’s just different.
Good stuff, David! Really liked the structure, especially. 🤜🏾
Thank you so much for the kind words and for reading the story. I really appreciate it. Happy Holidays!