Jalen Hurts finds his 'thrill' in never being satisfied in his performance

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts became the second-highest-paid player in the NFL this offseason but after coming up short of winning a Super Bowl, the 24-year-old is as hungry as ever. Discussing what motivates him most, Hurts revealed this week that it’s creating separation between him and the player he was yesterday.

“Everybody aspires to be the best and works to be the best, but ultimately you have to find some separation,” Hurts said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “And that’s the thrill. There’s a thrill in not being satisfied and there’s a thrill in being on this journey, and I have embraced that.

“I love this game and I know my purpose within this game. I truly just want to be intentional. … So every day I just try to be the best that I can be and that is not based off of external factors. Those things don’t matter. You just try and control what you can.”

In his fourth year in the league, Hurts threw for a career-high 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns. He also rushed for 760 yards and 13 more scores.

Still, despite throwing for 304 yards and one TD with 70 yards rushing and three scores versus the Chiefs in the Super Bowl, it was his mistakes that he’s focusing on this offseason. His lost fumble wasn’t the play that ultimately cost the Eagles the game, but it didn’t help.

Asked whether he intends to keep running the ball like he has despite the potential for mistakes (and injuries), Hurts didn’t have a clear answer.

“I put a lot of work in. I invest a ton into this and always have, and I just want to continue to quantify my work,” Hurts said. “That’s been something that I’ve been able to do since I’ve been in college. So that’s always my goal. Find those weaknesses and turn them into your strengths. And then if you do have a strength, boost it and make it a touch stronger.”

Eagles commit to Hurts with mega-deal

In April, the Eagles signed Hurts to a $255 million contract extension to keep him around for five more years. His deal led to Lamar Jackson negotiating what became the largest deal in the history of the league.

If that money is going to Hurts’ head, he’s not showing it. Eagles offensive coordinator Brian Johnson only sees him getting better.

“We’ll never put a ceiling on what he can accomplish,” Johnson said. “I think with Jalen, nothing that he ever does will surprise me. He works like a madman. He’s very, very diligent. He’s very intentional about what he wants, and that shows on a daily basis in how he operates.”