What Jalen Hurts’ New GQ Profile Reveals About the Eagles’ Quarterback
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts looks on from the bench during the first half of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks, Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Jalen Hurts isn’t the type of person or player to rest on his laurels at the first signs of success. This is something that has made him a great player, a stoic leader, and a winner at every level. A newly published GQ profile has given everyone a rare look into what makes Hurts tick.
This interview took place at two different times; the first was on the steps of the Art Museum at 5 a.m. back in June, when the biggest story attached to his name also had A.J. Brown as his co-star. The second interview took place over a game of pool at a Center City club, a yin and yang in terms of showing why he operates on and off the field the way he does.
In the profile, the 28-year-old talks candidly about his relationship with winning. The most telling part comes when he says his victories at every level pale in comparison to his losses, because of the lessons each loss teaches him. For a quarterback that has won it all, that may sound odd, but for Hurts, this is what has molded him into the someone who has won at every level.
That history is baggage that he carries with him in every game he plays in the NFL. Hurts was candid about his time at Alabama, the subsequent benching and transfer to Oklahoma, and how that affected the way he played. He talked about how that helped him break through and become the starter for the Eagles, and then how a heartbreaking loss in the Super Bowl drove him to winning it all en route to winning the MVP award. The GQ piece showed a man who has been forged in the fire of defeats and sharpened his will and resolve to not feel that ever again.
This mentality shows up in how Hurts has handled the fallout from a disappointing 2025 season, one that ended in a wild-card loss which led to massive changes on the offensive side of the ball. Kevin Patullo is out as the offensive coordinator, with Sean Mannion taking the role — yet another offensive scheme Hurts will have to learn. Rather than push back publicly about his leadership or his willingness to adapt, Hurts leaned into the standard he holds himself to: believing that the quarterback position means owning the results, win or lose.
What most expected to be the main part of this piece was about his relationship with Brown, how their relationship fell apart and ultimately led to Brown being traded to the New England Patriots this offseason. Hurts acknowledged that they grew apart without turning the piece into a public airing of grievances. The restraint he showed fits the narrative that he prefers to process things internally and let results do the talking. He described the football field as one of the only places he feels like he can be himself, a small detail that verbalizes something that we all can see; Hurts has never been especially interested in explaining himself off the field.
There is an incredibly personal layer to the story as well. Hurts opens up about being the son of a well-known high school football coach in Texas and raised in an environment where scrutiny is the standard. This upbringing helps shine a light on his guarded and even-keeled demeanor that has become his calling card. This also explains why external noise, questions about his leadership or his connections with former teammates don’t seem to land with him.
This piece doesn’t unearth any new information about Hurts’ path to this start to the season. What this piece does is provide context to what drives Hurts. He is a player who has had to rebuild his career more than once, and he treats the championship he won as a checkpoint rather than a finish line. He’s staying flexible and taking on the challenge of another offensive coordinator with a retooled roster. If one thing is obvious about Hurts mindset, he’s more motivated by last season’s shortcomings than satisfied by the Super Bowl ring that he already has.
For a team looking to get back to the top of the NFC, putting 2025 behind them and getting back to basics is the only way they will get there. To get back there, this team needs even-keeled leadership, and their quarterback personifies that.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible; we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
Get New Articles Emailed Right To Your Inbox:
