Jalen Hurts’ leadership style through the eyes of Eagles team captains: ‘Everything comes from the heart’

Exactly two years ago, the Eagles announced Jalen Hurts as their starting quarterback.

After he took over for former starter Carson Wentz, Hurts experienced a tumultuous journey. During his first season as the full-time starter, the former second-round pick guided the Eagles to a 9-8 record with an appearance in the NFC wild-card round.

Heading into the offseason, Hurts received direct feedback from coach Nick Sirianni on teaching points the quarterback later would hammer on. Among them included improving his passing mechanics and his timing in processing his reads and making throws with anticipation and accuracy. The Eagles also aided Hurts by acquiring several playmakers in the offseason, highlighted by the addition of wide receiver A.J. Brown.

» READ MORE: Where would Jalen Hurts land if we redrafted the QB-heavy 2020 class?

With five regular-season games remaining, Hurts has made dramatic improvements while guiding the Eagles to the NFL’s best record (11-1).

The 24-year-old quarterback received conference player of the week honors for the second consecutive week following his excellent performance during the team’s 35-10 victory over the Tennessee Titans. Hurts became the first quarterback in league history to throw for 300-plus yards a game after rushing for 150-plus yards in Week 12 against the Packers.

“It’s cool,” Hurts said of receiving two straight weekly awards. “It comes with a lot of hard work. I definitely acknowledge that. But I’m focused on the Giants. I’m focused on this week. I’m focused on preparing this week.”

While Hurts preferred to stay relatively mum regarding his most recent accomplishments, there is a growing buzz surrounding him across the league. Hurts ranks near the top in several of the league’s passing statistics, and he has emerged as a legitimate candidate for the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award.

The Inquirer interviewed four of the six team captains (outside of Hurts) on Thursday afternoon and received their perspective on Hurts’ growth over the last two years.

“He’s been the same since Day 1. He doesn’t really say a whole lot. He’s quiet; he stays to himself. But when he talks, he’s very direct with the way he approaches his message. I think when he says something, it always comes with meaning and substance, so that means a lot. Usually after practices or a lift, he’ll say something. Usually his message is directed and very to the point. I think he’s very levelheaded. He has a very good temperament.

“He knows exactly what he needs to work on, and other guys gravitate toward that. He’s always calm. He’s just a stoic person. Whatever is thrown at him, he stays levelheaded and consistent with how he’s going to handle that adversity.”

“Oh, man — he’s been a leader ever since he was a rook. He’s always had that leadership mentality coming from Alabama. Being a quarterback there for so long, then going to Oklahoma and leading those guys. That’s something that he’s been doing for a long time. It’s like in the back of his mind. It’s too easy for him. It’s just second nature for him to be a leader. Now, it’s a different story with him playing the way that he’s been playing. It makes him an even better leader. He’s putting the league on notice with how he’s leading our team.

“He just carries himself the right way. He approaches the game the right way. I’ve seen way too many times, a lot of guys come to the league, and they think they know it all. He came in the league, and immediately he was ready to be a sponge around all the veterans. He listened. He paid attention. He watched how other people worked. I guess that has a lot to do with [Alabama coach Nick] Saban, too, because Saban has that type of effect on that. But Jalen came into the league with a great understanding of how to already be a pro. And then he got an even better understanding of how to be a pro. That type of mindset has elevated him so much as a young guy.”

“You can tell he feels good that people believe in him because he’s been consistent this entire time. But now, you can really tell that he’s locked in because he’s got the keys now. He’s trying to make sure he takes good care of the keys. There were a lot of doubters and a lot of stuff that he had to overcome. I’m sure he’s always going to keep that chip on his shoulder. That’s what I appreciate the most about him. Because he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder and not being overly cool about it. When people have success, people can be overly confident or walking around with too much swagger on their chest. But he’s done such a great job at handling all the success that’s come his way.

“His pregame speeches, everything comes from the heart. I know it comes from his heart. It just seems every word comes so easy for him. He always makes sure his message is relevant to what we’re going through as a team. That’s what you appreciate the most.”

“It’s one of those things where his leadership has always been there, so it’s hard to say that it’s really grown. He’s gotten more comfortable with the reps that he’s gotten. He’s really comfortable with who he is. He’s always been one of those natural leaders. He’s one of those guys that when he talks, people are going to listen. He goes about his personal business in private, but he’s a guy that we’re going to follow because he leads by example. He’s always got the right things to say, so he’s an easy guy to follow.

“He’s definitely the leader of this team. He goes out of his way after every game and thanks all of his teammates. He comes up to you personally, and that means something. I’m sure it means a lot to him. Just being the leader that he is, I know all the guys really appreciate it. Coming from him, knowing that you put in just a little part, it’s really cool to see.”

Inquirer Eagles beat reporters EJ Smith and Josh Tolentino preview the team’s Week 14 game against the New York Giants on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. Watch at Inquirer.com/EaglesGameday