Jalen Hurts lands on Sports Illustrated's cover as Eagles fans scoff at possibilities of a jinx

We haven't spent one day in Jalen Hurts' shoes... Not one... So, we probably are the last people on Planet Earth that can give an account of what the 2023 calendar year has been like for him. That won't stop us from trying though, will it?

The Philadelphia Eagles' QB1 led his team to the Super Bowl. There, he outplayed the best quarterback in the Milky Way Galaxy before coming within four points of raising the second Vince Lombardi Trophy in franchise history. Guess what? That was only the beginning. The gas pedal has been pressed to the floor ever since.

Jalen Hurts' shining star has led him the Sports Illustrated's cover, but fear not. There will be no jinx.

February seems like a distant memory, yet here we are. Hurts' star is shining brightly while his accompanying star power seems to have gone through the roof. In what wound up becoming a busy spring and summer, he has blended being a professional athlete with being a celebrity. Don't look now, but we may have been offered an advanced look at a new Sports Illustrated cover.

We know what you are thinking... well, some of you anyway. Raise your hand if the word 'jinx' has crossed your mind. Yep... Thats what we thought.

Over time, we have seen SI's 'jinx' tied to everyone from Jim Kelly, Cam Newton, and Brett Favre to Ryan Leaf, Leonard Fournette and Adrian Peterson among others. We have also heard the jinx mentioned in connection with everyone from MLB legend, Albert Puljos, Olympian Michael Phelps, and Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper, forcing some to ask if being featured is an honor or a curse.

Here's the thing. If it was anyone else, we'd spend some time debating this one with you. If we didn't already know that Jalen might be the most mature and laser-focused 25-year-old that The Good Lord in Heaven ever created, we'd be worried, but there's an old saying. It went something like this.
"Success only makes you more of what you already are".

Trust us on this one. Hurts is going to be fine. The word from the Novacare Complex and QB1's teammates is Jalen Hurts is as focused as he's ever been.

If you have been keeping up with him, you have no doubt seen him attend a Philadelphia Phillies batting practice before showing off his swing in DeVonta Smith's celebrity softball game. He has also become quite the thespian.

Jalen turned down both roles in an Adam Sandler film (Hustle) and an opportunity to be featured on Netflix's Quarterback series, but he did find himself some free time and used it to polish some acting skills and star alongside Teyana Taylor in a short film for Jordan Brand. Check that out below. That was only a precursor of things to come.

Jalen has since signed with Jordan Brand. His peers voted him as pro football's third-best player on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023 countdown. Oh, and how could we forget? On April 17th, he joined a new tax bracket, inking a five-year, $255 million extension with the Eagles, one that included $180 million guaranteed.

The success has come because, through hard work and dedication, Hurts has earned what he has been given. Most of us have watched this guy since he popped up on national radars in high school. There's no reason to believe he's going to suddenly slack off now.

We won't lie. The spotlight is much brighter than it has ever been. The goal is to get back to football's biggest game and win it. Anything less than that will be a disappointment.

Jalen knows that. His teammates and coaches know that. If we were discussing anyone else, again, we'd be worried, but we trust this guy. Jinxes be damned. There's reason for excitement in Eagles land.

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