Jalen Hurts thought the Steelers were going to draft him: “From the interview, I didn’t think I was going to be and Eagle”

“I’m a difference maker,” Jalen Hurts confessed in his Combine interview in 2020. “I’ve been able to cement myself into prestigious programs; I think people have found a way in both places to follow me - it’s earned it’s not given. For some reason people follow me everywhere I’ve been”.

Jalen excelled at college. The first freshman to start for Alabama in 32 years, before leaving to join Oklahoma as a graduate transfer in 2019. He guided the Sooners to the College Football Playoff where they ended losing to LSU in the Peach Bowl. His figures for the year were outstanding: 3,851 passing yards, 32 passing touchdowns, 1,298 rushing yards, and 20 rushing touchdowns.

Fast forward to the 2020 NFL draft, Hurts was as surprised as anyone when the Philadelphia Eagles, who has selected WR Jalen Reagor in Round 1, came for him in the next round. Hurts was the 53rd overall pick and one of seven players who landed in Philadelphia.

Roseman phonecall

Jalen looked back on the night with Jason and Travis Kelce in the New Heights podcast and admitted that at one point, he thought he was going somewhere else.

“When they called me, I got the [Philadelphia area code] ’215′. It was Howard. Howard [Roseman] gave me a call and ironically, we played Pittsburgh that week, played Minnesota... we played a lot of teams like Vegas last year. I know Pittsburgh had maybe the 48th pick or 40-something. They had the first pick in the second round, and I thought I was going to Pittsburgh so when I saw PA, I was like, ’Oh, this is Pittsburgh‘.

“I didn’t know what to expect. So when they said the Philadelphia Eagles... I had no idea they were coming. I’ve never really talked about this but I had no idea. I had an interview with them at the draft, an official interview but from the interview I didn’t think I was going to be an Eagle,” he explained.

Philadelphia’s move for Hurts also came as a surprise to others, as they had only just sign QB Carson Wentz to a four-year, $128 million contract.

But in the long run, it couldn’t have turned out much better for Hurts who picked up his first ring in February’s Super Bowl victory over the Chiefs in which he threw for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception while also rushing for 72 yards and a touchdown.

Earlier this month he signed a a five-year contract extension worth $255 with the Eagles - the largest contract in NFL history.

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