Former Phillies third baseman Mike Schmidt once said, “If you’re associated with the Philadelphia media or town, you look for negatives. I don’t know if there’s something about their upbringing or they have too many hoagies, or too much cream cheese.”
He should know because he certainly lived it. But can you really blame the Philly fans or the media? Arguably the greatest third baseman of all time, Schmiddy was only a three-time MVP, 12-time all-star, 8-time National League home run leader and a World Series MVP. Sheesh, talk about mailing it in huh?
So Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts should beam with pride being elevated to Michael Jack status and the criticism that has come with it lately, in a recent ESPN article, outlining his alleged push back on some of the offensive schemes, designs and changes former offensive coordinators Kevin Patullo and Kellen Moore wanted to implement.
Greatness Isn’t Good Enough
Mike Schmidt also once famously said, “Philadelphia is the only place where you can experience the thrill of victory and the agony of having to read about it the next day.”
That is not just a quote. That is a warning label for greatness in this city. And right now, Jalen Hurts is living it.
Let’s start with something that should end the conversation before it even begins. This is a Super Bowl MVP quarterback who, has since becoming the Birds full-time starter in 2021, has won 62 games and has accounted for 185 total touchdowns, both good for third in the league since then, and nearly 19,000 passing yards, which ranks eighth in the league since 2021. He has been to two Super Bowls, won one, and in both appearances outplayed Patrick Mahomes, who is already on a Mount Rushmore trajectory at the position.
But be that as it may his city still debates him and argues with each other whether or not he is an elite NFL quarterback.
Think about that for a second. A Super Bowl MVP getting booed in Philadelphia. .Mike Schmidt got booed in Philadelphia. Are you starting to see the pattern?
In just his first five full football seasons in the league, Hurts is one of the most successful quarterbacks the league has ever seen, despite having had 10 different offensive coordinators dating back to his freshman year at Alabama. He was a starter in Tuscaloosa, got replaced, transferred to the University of Oklahoma, led the Sooners to the College Football Playoff in one season, finished as a Heisman runner-up, and then became a Super Bowl MVP in the NFL, while leading his team to the post-season in all five years as a starter.
What’s The Problem?
So what exactly is the problem? He shows a little frustration with a new system, a new voice, and new terminology every single year, and somehow that gets spun into concern? Who wouldn’t be frustrated?
I’m actually embarrassed by the local yocals and their emotional unintelligence that is on display for the world to see right now. But I’m not going to lie, it makes me feel pretty smart, if not at least emotionally grounded.
You hear people screaming all off-season that the Eagles should move on from A.J. Brown and now the same people have moved on to running their Super Bowl MVP quarterback out of town on a rail as well. While we’re at it, that Rocky statue at the top of the Art Museum steps is getting a little unsightly. I hope nobody Googles the Stallion and finds out he was a fictional character or he’ll be on the next freight train out of Philly heading to the Kate Smith bone yard.
What’s that you say? The Birds need to upgrade the position? Ok I’m all ears. Who is in this mystery quarterback class that is supposed to save the franchise?
So this year you have the Heisman winner, who won’t last past the first pick and another guy who played one full season in college and half of it he played badly. Maybe the Eagles should wait a year and then go after Arch Manning in 2027. Now there’s a plan. Wake me up when he accomplishes even one-fiftieth of what Hurts or either one of his uncles has accomplished.
An Elite Tow Truck
Is Hurts a perfect quarterback? Not even close. Is he elite? Hey, call him a tow truck if you want. It doesn’t matter what you call him or what you think he is. It only matters what he does.
I watched the same games everybody else did last season and yes, it was some of the most unstimulating offensive football I’ve ever seen. Reruns of C-span would have been more compelling. I get it. But the team still won 11 games and was the only team in the league to repeat as division champions. Was that good enough? Hell no, not with last year’s roster. But everything that has happened up until now is in the past. It can’t be altered but it can be learned from. The biggest problem for Hurts right now is that he has to wait almost six months to change the narrative. But that’s ok. If there’s one thing he does best it’s proving his critics wrong time and time again.
It’s just amazing to me to hear the flip flops from the fan base. When Hurts wins, he is praised for being calm, stoic, and assassin-like in the way he handles his business. When the offense hits a rough patch, that same demeanor suddenly becomes a problem. He is too quiet, too disconnected, not a leader, not the guy.
The player does not change. The narrative does. It is dizzying but here is the reality that keeps getting lost. The only thing that matters in Philadelphia is the scoreboard and the scoreboard never lies. If you want to critique mechanics, go ahead. If you want to break down reads, fine. Those things can be worked on. Those things can be coached.
Can’t Teach Clutch
But the one thing you cannot teach is what Hurts does best. He shows up in big moments. That’s not a playbook install. You are born with that. Everything else is fixable. That is why all of this noise feels manufactured at times. Stories come out. Narratives build. A couple of local voices want to be first. Some of it sounds like leverage. Some of it sounds like positioning.
I even heard a national analyst suggest that some of the leaks could be intentional, designed to motivate or even embarrass him. Well, let’s be very clear about something. Embarrassment is one of the most powerful forms of motivation there is. So if that is the strategy what’s the problem?
Every player responds to criticism differently. Some shrink. Some snap. Some elevate. Hurts has consistently shown which category he falls into. Just like Michael Jack. It’s almost a rite of passage to greatness in this town. Both were born with the clutch gene. Most everything else can be taught or worked on. The rest is just noise and click bait.
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