PHILADELPHIA (94WIP) — For the first time since his high school days, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is finally getting some consistency.
Hurts played for multiple offensive coordinators at Alabama, then transferred to Oklahoma for his senior season. As a second-round draft of the Eagles in 2020, Hurts was the backup to Carson Wentz, and Doug Pederson was the head coach.
Now, he's entering the third training camp of his NFL career, but his second straight as the starter under head coach Nick Sirianni and QB coach Brian Johnson, as things are finally settling into place for the 23-year-old.
"I take it day by day, I take it play-by-play," Hurts said in an exclusive 94WIP interview when asked about the new dynamic weapons Philadelphia has acquired.
"I've always felt like we've had great players here. I've always felt like we've had dynamic receivers. I think some things just take time. It takes reps, it takes jelling with the coaches. This is my first time, really, having the same quarterback coach, the same play caller since my dad in high school, since I was 16. That in itself, it means a lot."
The Eagles have added Hurts' very close friend and elite wide receiver A.J. Brown to bolster the offense. Brown, along with key defensive acquisitions like Haason Reddick, James Bradberry, Nakobe Dean, and Jordan Davis have expectations high.
But in Philadelphia, all of the talk surrounds the man fans call QB1.
"I could tell you, I don't listen [to 94WIP]," Hurts said. "No disrespect.
"It's a big thing in this city and I love that and I respect that," Hurts added.
"I respect it a lot because it shows great passion, but it's not foreign to me. Ever since I was 17, when I went to Alabama, it was—literally when I got on campus it was, 'Who is going to be the starting quarterback for the Crimson Tide?' Nobody expected the kid from Houston with the long dreadlocks to take over, and that's exactly what I did. So, it's always been all eyes on me, it's always been that way and it's something that I embrace."
When asked if he set any goals for himself this season, Hurts came back to that one thing he yearns for: consistency.
"Process and stuff, seeing it, and being consistent in it," he said.
"I think there were games where I played at a really high level last year, and then there were games where it wasn't the same guy from the week before. Simply put, it's consistency. I think being consistent will make things elite around here. It will make me elite. It will make this offense elite. And that's on all levels, that's on every position."
