Getty Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is winning over teammates with his work ethic and leadership at Philadelphia training camp.
There were times this summer when Lane Johnson would wake up and search the house for Jalen Hurts, but he was nowhere to be found. They were going to hit Johnson’s famed “Bro Barn” and get a lift in. Too late.
Hurts, the presumed new QB1 for the Philadelphia Eagles, was already done and off playing pitch-and-catch with a group of young receivers. It wasn’t anything personal, it’s just the way player who can deadlift 620 pounds without breaking a sweat is wired. Johnson understood and appreciated it.
“He works his a** off, that’s really what it is,” Johnson told reporters on Thursday. “Most of the time he was done before I woke up, he worked out early. He’s pretty quiet, stays to himself, and as far as getting work in he got a lot of work in with the receivers throughout OTAs and in the summer so trying to be where we need to be.”
Lane Johnson on Jalen Hurts: “He works his ass off.” The two worked out together at Lane’s “Bro Barn” this summer. Said Hurts woke up earlier than he did, got his work in, didn’t always say much. #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
Hurts’ branding has rubbed off on Johnson, too. The All-Pro right tackle showed up to his first press conference of 2021 training camp wearing a hat reading “Rent is Due,” an ode to Hurts’ catchy motto and clothing line.
Miles Sanders said he spent one to two hours a day on the practice field with Hurts during the offseason building their chemistry. Hurts would routinely ring Sanders’ phone asking if he wanted to throw the pigskin around; Sanders was always ready to go.
“His leadership is tremendous,” Sanders said. “He knows we’re not going to be able to do what we have to do if he doesn’t do his job and he’s holding himself to the highest standard. And accountability is our big thing here, so whenever we mess up, he’s holding himself accountable.”
Jalen Hurts first throw of training camp is a TD to Miles Sanders #Eagles
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Competition Everywhere Under Nick Sirianni
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni charts every single thing the Eagles do out on the practice field, according to Johnson. His detailed notes are left out for any player on the roster to review and many do. Sirianni picks a winner each day between the offense and defense, too. The defense won Day 1. The offense won Day 2.
“Everything matters,” Johnson said. “When you go to the film room you expect to be asked questions, and that goes for everybody, the starters, everybody, myself included. I mean everything matters.”
Lane Johnson: New #Eagles coaching staff charts every play so there’s a winner each day of camp. (This is new here.)
Defense won yesterday.
Thinks offense won today.
Sirianni also showed the team a clip of Kobe Bryant from his rookie year where the Philly legend chucks up four straight air-balls. He wanted to show his guys that even the greatest players in sports history can have bad days. It’s how you battle back from them that defines you.
“He was just trying to show that even the great ones have failures,” Johnson said. “So it doesn’t matter who you are in this league, it’s all about how you handle adversity, how you bounce back, and if you have a bad rep you move on to the next one, and do your best and try to have a short-term memory.”
Eagles GM Wants Hurts to ‘Take the Reins’
The Eagles still haven’t officially declared Hurts as the starting quarterback in Philly. The coaching staff and front office has been playing a cat-and-mouse game through the media. However, they would like to see him thrive after investing a second-round pick last year. Like everyone else, they know Hurts’ work ethic is undeniable.
“This guy has done everything possible to put himself into a successful position with his work ethic, with his studying habits, with his leadership,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman told reporters. “I think for us, like Coach [Sirianni] said, we’re looking for him to grab the reins and go and follow him as it goes. That all comes out here as we start practice and as we start the pre-season and training camp.”
Jalen Hurts just threw a bomb 40-plus yards in the air down the left sideline, dropped in perfectly for DeVonta Smith, who had burned past two defenders for the TD.