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Jalen Hurts was hearing boisterous QB1 chants every time he stepped to the plate at DeVonta Smith’s charity softball game in Allentown. Then, fueled by those cheers and his unrelenting competitive spirit, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback showed why everyone is expecting big things out of him.
Hurts drove a wobbly pitch over the left-field fence for a two-run, walk-off homer to send the crowd home happy. Smith was on third base and watched Hurts admire his moonshot by dropping the bat and raising his hands in the air. Game over.
The blast catapulted Team Smith to a 13-12 victory, a squad featuring Jalen Hurts, Darius Slay, Patrick Surtain II, A.J. Brown, Nakobe Dean, Najee Harris, Avonte Maddox, Brandon Graham, Barrett Brooks, and Dallas Goedert. They defeated a team captained by Dallas Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons which included Shyheim Carter, Elijah Moore, Jaylen Waddle, La’Mical Perine, Greg Newsome, Mack Wilson, Terrell Edmunds, Justin Hardee, Boston Scott, and Vinny Curry.
Ironically, the dinger came around the same time the Philadelphia Phillies were en route to an epic comeback of their own at Citizens Bank Park. Reigning MVP Bryce Harper smoked a 3-2 curveball into the upper deck for a game-tying grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning. Rookie Bryson Stott hit a three-run, walk-off homer in the bottom of the ninth to win it for the Phillies. The timing of everything wasn’t lost on Hurts.
The event was a fundraiser for IronPig Charities and St. Luke’s University Health Charities. Smith said he hopes to make it an annual event during a pre-game press conference. “Finding ways to give back to the community, to be able to help everybody any way you can, that’s the main goal of it,” Smith said.
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A.J. Brown Throws Trash Talk at Micah Parsons
The Eagles used the charity softball game as an opportunity to bond and have fun. One of their newest offensive weapons, A.J. Brown, was all smiles standing next to Hurts during a post-game interview flashed up on the Jumbotron at Coca-Cola Park.
Wearing a shirt reading “Beast Athletics,” Brown sent a stern warning to Parsons and the Cowboys: “Get your popcorn ready and tell Micah Parsons he can get ready for this s***.” Brown was kidding, but the energy burning off the Eagles right now is contagious. (Bonus points for the Terrell Owens reference).
“Building bonds just brings you closer,” Dallas Goedert said, “and football is the ultimate team game, so I feel like the closest teams have a slight edge and there are not many edges in the NFL.”
“If you don’t have that connection with your teammates that can mess everything up on the field,” DeVonta Smith said, “so the better connection you have off the field, the better it is on the field.”
Eagles Hold Gun Buyback Program at the Linc
The Eagles are throwing their full support behind stopping gun violence. Jalen Hurts delivered a passionate plea about curbing a dangerous epidemic gripping the country. On Monday, the Eagles hosted a gun buyback event in conjunction with the Philadelphia Police Department at Lincoln Financial Field from 2-6 p.m.
Those wishing to turn in their guns would receive a $100 gift card funded by the Eagles and the Center for Violence Prevention at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Firearms must be unloaded and safely stored in the trunk of your vehicle. No questions will be asked and no appointment is necessary, according to a press release.
“These senseless acts of violence will not cease to occur without a concerted effort from those who govern our nation and make public policy,” Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie said. “As a country, we need to call upon our lawmakers to enact tangible change and address this public crisis through appropriate gun safety legislation.”
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