Jalen Hurts, the reigning Super Bowl MVP, is a busy man. He was married in the offseason, did a memorable Sprite commercial, and is back to preparing for a title defense. But the Eagles quarterback made time for a younger member of football’s most elite fraternity – the NFL’s Black quarterbacks.
At training camp this week, reporters saw Hurts and Shadeur Sanders engage in what they described as a ‘lengthy’ conversation at the far end of the field away from the cameras. No one caught any of the conversation, which is likely why they positioned themselves where they did.
When Hurts was asked what the conversation was about, he declined to provide the specifics, but he did share a little bit.
“I’ll keep the conversation intimate,” Hurts told reporters.
“We had a very lengthy conversation. He came to me and just wanted to talk. I’m always there…giving my perspective on what I see and how I’ve gone about things. Ultimately, it takes a great deal of patience and hard work, and a sense of resilience. You’ve got to want it. You’ve got to want it. I’m supporting him from where I am and wishing him nothing but the best with his opportunities.”
Hurts, 27, was a great choice to get advice from, as he has endured public humiliation and constant attacks on his football ability since his college years. Two Super Bowl appearances and a Super Bowl MVP award later, Hurts has managed to excel despite the noise. Sanders, 23, was expected to be a first-round draft pick but fell to the fifth round as even seasoned football observers watched in disbelief. The youngest son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, his life has been chronicled on reality TV and through his family’s social media platforms since he was a pre-teen.
Sanders’ debut as a Cleveland Brown in preseason action showed him to be a steady presence on the field. But with that being a small sample of his abilities and after taking snaps mostly with the least talented players on the roster, he’s still #4 on the depth chart in a crowded QB room and is currently nursing a minor injury.
Hurts will start the Eagles’ ‘run it back’ season against their most hated rival, the Dallas Cowboys, at home on Thursday, Sept. 4 at 8:20 p.m. on NBC.
Watch the full interview with Hurts below when he’s asked about Sanders around the 5:36 mark above, and see social media’s reaction to the interaction below.