Jalen Hurts: A Champion for Introverts

In defiance of the stereotyped machismo and bravado, Hurts shows us that there is another way to lead

With two minutes left in the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles are celebrating. And for good reason. Victory is merely a formality as they have comfortably defeated the two-time reigning champion Kansas City Chiefs. The players on the Eagles sidelines are jumping for joy, soaking in the moment. Although there is one exception.

Their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, is on the sidelines standing and waiting. He is calm and stoic, as he usually is. In a sport filled with exuberant showmanship, Hurts is in many ways the antithesis of this. He is calm, composed, and incredibly measured. By all definitions of the word, Hurts is an introvert, and in his triumph those of us like him have an incredibly relatable athlete to admire.

A Different Kind of Leader

Quarterback is the most important position in the NFL. It is one that can elevate a franchise to great heights when it gets it right or set one back a decade if a team gets it wrong. As a result, most of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL have been taken in the first round of the Draft. Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Joe Burrow, and Jared Goff were all taken in the first round as an example. Typically, if a quarterback is drafted outside of the first day of the draft, the assumption is that they will be a backup.

Jalen Hurts was drafted by the Eagles in the second round in the 2020 NFL Draft. Originally selected as a backup to incumbent Eagles starter Carson Wentz, many draft analysts were confused by the selection of Hurts. Many viewed him as a hybrid runner and passer, in the vein of Taysom Hill. After starting in four games in his rookie season, the Eagles moved to Hurts full-time and parted ways with Wentz who struggled with injuries and has since become a backup (ironically) for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Jalen Hurts has been incredibly successful as a starter, amassing a 46-20 record and a 2:1 touchdown to interception ratio. He has also been one of the most prolific running quarterbacks in the league with four consecutive double digit rushing touchdown seasons. And yet, all these positive indicators of greatness have often left him overlooked compared to his contemporaries.

There is a certain “leader of men” quality that many coaches and scouts look for when it comes to their quarterback. They need to command respect. To in one breath form a bond with workman-like offensive linemen while also placating outspoken wide receivers and running backs who feel they need more touches. That sort of leadership has an expected look in the eyes of many people. It is aggressive, loud, and in your face. It is the stuff that we see on NFL Films and jokingly discussed in podcasts after players retire.

Recently, some clips of Peyton Manning when he was playing for the Colts resurfaced, showing him yelling at his center Jeff Saturday. These sorts of outbursts are what many associate as leadership in the NFL. There is a machismo factor that borders on toxicity at times. Adrenaline and passion-filled projections show a desire to win, which has been made into the personality standard of the position.

Jalen Hurts, in this respect, is not typical. He is often seen on the sidelines as a calming presence, offering his teammates words of encouragement, never too high or too low. His approach is familiar to anyone that is an introvert and has been exposed to more aggressive forms of leadership and direction.

A Relatable Player

Many people view an introverted person as someone that is shy and potentially awkward or antisocial. This is a narrow scope to define a person. An introvert is often the type of person that processes information internally and often has a calm demeanor while doing so. This can be labelled as too quiet, which is a trait people in the corporate world view as a negative. As a result, there is a pressure for an introvert to adapt more extroverted traits, because that is what is accepted as normal.

Jalen Hurts is a quiet quarterback, but because the overall football consciousness is accustomed to more vocal extroverts, his style of leadership is discounted as not as effective. But there are qualities that an introvert like Hurts possesses that make him uniquely suited to be a positive force in an NFL locker room.

Introverts are often good listeners and thoughtful and introspective with their responses. This means that when someone like AJ Brown or DeVonta Smith is not satisfied with their targets he will hear them out without escalating the situation. It also means that he will not be prone to offering a bad quote to the media. We saw this on full display during Media Week before the Super Bowl. Hurts is often known for his one-liners. Those do not come from someone that is not considerate and thoughtful about the power of his words.

A measured approach is typical in introverts, which can lead to being calm under pressure. That is a quality that translates directly to playing the quarterback position. The best quarterbacks are quick processors and decisive decision makers. Being composed in the face of pressure and flying bodies is a must, which is a skill that introverts like Jalen Hurts can possess.

More than anything, Hurts stays very even keeled and level. That is a refreshing change of pace from the prototypical aggression that we see from other players. Variance in the personalities of our favorite players matters, because we often seek to have some relatability with the players we root for. A prime example of this is NBA superstar Nikola Jokic, who’s “basketball is just a job” persona resonates with countless people who feel that they too are not defined by their career.

For introverts that have been told they are unfriendly or too quiet and that will never lead to success, in Jalen Hurts we have an example of the opposite. Here is someone that has come into a position and proved himself without sacrificing who he was. While he may not get the same number of commercials as Patrick Mahomes, he is authentic, and he is a champion.

Hurts has done things his way, dating back to his college days where he handled being benched while playing for Alabama with grace before transferring to Oklahoma. He has led the Eagles in his own way, and in regard to his management he has set a positive precedent by hiring an all-woman management team. Once again, all these decisions were made because he is true to himself and trusts in his thoughtful nature to make the right decisions on and off the field. His rise is a triumph for all introverts and sends a message that being true to yourself is the best thing that you can do to find success in this world.