Opinions of star quarterback Jalen Hurts have circulated through the Philadelphia Eagles fan base with polarizing results.
This offseason, an ESPN report surfaced alleging that Hurts was uncoachable and kept changing plays, prompting the media to run with the story and drag his name through the mud by saying that he was not as good as people thought. Despite the adversity, Hurts has proved himself as a winner.
That's why former Eagles defender and Sports Radio 94 WIP host Hugh Douglas compared Hurts to the movie character Rocky, which caused a lot of stir among people who disagreed. Douglas doubled down on the comparison.
"My analogy tracks exactly with people who understand exactly the point that I was trying to make. The point was basically that he was coming in as an underdog. Jalen, all those other guys that went before him. Yeah, were projected starters. Jalen was the underdog, and Jalen produced and surpassed them. So it tracks. I just can't help it if people like Chris and other folks can't catch it. But that's one of the driving forces that motivates most athletes."
Does the Jalen Hurts-Rocky comparison work?
For a quick refresher, Rocky came from nothing in the first movie before he had a shot to fight Apollo Creed and proved that he could hang with the best. While he lost that fight, Rocky came back in "Rocky 2" to beat Creed once and for all.
Hurts has certainly taken his punches since being a second-round pick of the Eagles in 2020. He came into a situation in Philly where the transition was underway, with Doug Pederson fired in Hurts' first year in the NFL and the team rolling with Nick Sirianni from that point on.
Douglas' argument is that Hurts came in as a backup with few people believing in him until he proved them wrong. Hurts did that by making three Pro Bowls, two Super Bowls, winning a Super Bowl, and taking home the Super Bowl MVP.
That comparison makes all the sense in the world, as Rocky and Hurts were both underdogs who worked hard to earn their spot at the top. Douglas mentioned seeing that kind of mentality with guys like Eagles linebacker Jihaad Campbell, who have a chip on their shoulders and have the drive or the "Rocky mentality" to be the best.
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Maybe Hurts has something to prove to everyone else, but he has already earned that trust with Eagles fans with his play and leadership on and off the field.
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