11 fascinating facts you didn't know about Jalen Hurts ahead of the Super Bowl

Jalen Hurts has been a key figure in the NFL for the last couple of years, taking the Philadelphia Eagles to new heights with his triple-threat attacking ability – carving up defenses with his arm, legs and mind.

While fans know him as a dynamic quarterback, there’s a lot more to his story than what happens on the field. As he prepares for the Super Bowl, here are 11 things you might not know about the Eagles’ star.

Hurts made a name for himself early at Alabama, but in the biggest game of his college career, he was benched for Tua Tagovailoa in the 2018 National Championship, as reported by ESPN. Instead of sulking, he stayed with the team, and helped them win an SEC title the following year in one of the most incredible comebacks.

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Hurts isn’t just fast – he’s incredibly strong. Back in college, he famously squatted 600 pounds (272kg), an unheard-of feat for a quarterback. Even now, his lower-body strength makes him a nightmare to bring down on QB sneaks.

Thrown into the fire as a rookie, Hurts made his first career start in 2020 against the New Orleans Saints, who had the league’s No. 1 defense at the time. He shocked everyone by leading the Eagles to an upset win, rushing for more than 100 yards and throwing for a touchdown, as ESPN reported at the time.

Football runs deep in the Hurts family. His father, Averion Hurts, was his high school coach in Texas, shaping him into the leader he is today. Growing up in a football household helped fuel his relentless work ethic.

Before he was breaking tackles on Sundays, Hurts was dominating in another sport – powerlifting. In high school, he competed in powerlifting meets and even maxed out at an absurd 570-pound (258.5kg) squat while also bench-pressing 275 pounds (124.7kg) and dead-lifting 585 pounds (265.4 kg) during sophomore competitions. That's one strong 15-year-old!

Hurts switched to the No. 1 jersey in the NFL, despite the No.2 becoming his signature at Alabama. But the reason behind it is often misunderstood. After transferring to Oklahoma for the 2019 season, CeeDee Lamb was in the No.2 and Hurts didn't want to take it from him, and donned the No. 1 out of respect more than anything else, Heavy reported in 2022. He liked how it looked and said he would adopt it once he was drafted.

While some NFL stars love the spotlight, Hurts prefers to keep things low-key. He rarely shares details about his private life, choosing to let his work on the field do the talking.

Hurts has often drawn comparisons to Michael Jordan for his leadership and competitive drive. And it’s no coincidence – he’s spoken about studying Jordan’s mentality and applying it to his own approach to the game, especially when it came to improving aspects of his game, per Bleacher Report.

In a male-dominated industry, Hurts made a groundbreaking decision – his entire management team is made up of women, including his agent, marketing team, and communications staff.

Many players focus solely on football, but Hurts has always valued education. He earned his master’s degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma while playing in the NFL – a leader on the field and in the classroom as well, apparently.

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According to Sports Illustrated, Hurts filed a trademark request for the phrase ‘HURTS SO GOOD’ in 2022, looking to capitalize on his name both on and off the field. As of July 2024, that trademark is still pending, so probably won't be cleared in time to print off official Super Bowl merchandise this year!