Getty Quarterback Peyton Manning.
Add casually dropping names of legendary quarterbacks to Jalen Hurts’ bag of tricks. The Philadelphia Eagles starter mentioned how Peyton Manning sometimes sends him clips to review and “detailed things” he can work on.
The two met when Hurts attended one of Manning’s passing camps as a rising sophomore at Channelview High School. Hurts has maintained that relationship over the years and values anything any member of the Manning family tells him. He got to know Peyton, Eli, Cooper and “Mr. Archie” at the Manning Passing Academy in Louisiana. Hurts is an avid watcher of Peyton’s “Detail” series on ESPN.
“I watch the greats. I love good football players, I love great football plays,” Hurts told reporters. “I love watching Peyton Manning and seeing what he has to say on the “Details” episodes he makes. He actually sends them to me. Having a relationship with him, I enjoy that.”
Jalen Hurts has a relationship with Peyton Manning and the Manning family. Says Peyton sends him copies of the “Detail” breakdowns he does for ESPN.
Hurts wouldn’t get into the specifics about what they talk about or what’s on those videos. He played it off as “just detailed things, just football,” although it’s clear he relishes the opportunity to be in the good graces of Football’s First Family.
“We just maintained that relationship,” Hurts said. “Always little nicks here, little things I can learn from, pick their brain. I value the Mannings and the relationship I have with them.”
The latest Eagles news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Eagles newsletter here!
Darius Slay Details DeVonta Smith Matchup
Darius Slay is the current NFC Defensive Player of the Week after an exceptional performance in Week 10. However, the Pro Bowl cornerback has been itching to take some snaps on offense. The Eagles posted a viral video of Slay going up against DeVonta Smith at a recent practice.
In it, Smith appears to get the best of Slay. Not so fast. According to Slay, the video only showed one play from the three matchups between them. Slay won the other two.
“This is how it went, I won two out of the three times we did it,” Slay said. “He keeps talking about how he wasn’t ready. But when they would do no huddle I wasn’t ready sometimes and he caught the ball and he counted that as a win against me. He had a good release, good coverage on the last one, I gave him one.”
Jokes aside, the two players have bonded in their first year together. Slay and Smith have reserved Thursdays as their “meeting day” where they kick it after practice and talk about everything from releases and coverages to life away from the field. He described Smith as a polished route-runner who is mature beyond his years, a guy always asking important questions no matter how mundane. Slay said the rookie reminds him of Marvin Jones, his former teammate in Detroit.
“As smooth as he is, he just reminds me of Marvin Jones,” Slay said. “Shoot, he got sneaky speed. You feel like, ‘Oh he’s not fast’ but then he runs past you. He runs good routes, 50/50 balls turned into 70/30, 80/20, and he goes up and attacks the ball and don’t ever complain.”
.@bigplay24slay on @DeVontaSmith_6‘s season so far
Lane Johnson Getting Superstitious
The last home game the Eagles won was on December 13, 2020. That one was Hurts’ first start and it came against the New Orleans Saints, the same team they are hosting in Week 11 at Lincoln Financial Field.
Right tackle Lane Johnson knows the fans are frustrated about the home losing streak and he’s willing to do anything to break it. One idea centered around a superstitious change of socks.
“Put my socks on different, I guess, I don’t know,” Johnson said. “We got to do something different, yeah. It’s very frustrating. I know the fans are frustrated about it. We got to switch it up this week. I don’t know if we have to put on different socks or different uniforms, something to change it up.”