PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The late nights at the NovaCare Complex have been paying off for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who was named NFC Offensive Player of the Month on Thursday.
Hurts said playing football is his "comfort zone" and a "safe haven," but he recognizes the dedication that goes into it.
"It's an ongoing journey," he said. "If you think one day you arrive, you won't, because there is no arrival. It's only the journey — trying to take things day by day and just focus on the little things, trying to be better. I'm obsessed with playing to my standard."
His numbers and the team's success speak for themselves. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is just as impressed with Hurts' development.
"Just the way he's kind of seeing the field right now. He's identifying what's coming and he's knowing where to go with the football," he said, "and then his accuracy has been really, really outstanding."
Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson, who was Hurts' first coach in the NFL, is not surprised by the way Hurts is playing, nor his tendency to stay long hours at the NovaCare Complex.
"He's a sponge," said Pederson. "He wants to learn. He wants to get better. He's a professional and he takes it serious, and those are the things you want out of your quarterback, out of the leader of your team. So it's no surprise that he's still doing that."
Pederson's Jaguars are tied for the NFL lead with eight takeaways on defense, so Hurts and the Eagles are facing a much-improved Jacksonville team on Sunday at the Linc.
