As the second half kicked off, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts arrived on the scene a bit late.
He also had a brace on his left knee.
Hurts didn’t miss a snap, helped the Eagles to an impressive 31-17 win over the Miami Dolphins and said after the game everything was OK with his knee.
“When a reporter inquired about him appearing to be impaired during the game, Hurts responded, “I’ll be fine,”
Hurts didn’t appear to be quite as mobile as usual, but he still converted three fourth-and-1s with the “tush push” and scored on another to go with a pair of touchdowns and 279 yards through the air. As much as anything, Hurts’ performance Sunday night was an example of his fortitude and resilience. Proof of that came when Hurts fumbled and threw a pick-six, but followed each turnover with touchdown drives.
“I feel fine. I’m happy in how we responded, especially coming off last week,” Hurt said in reference to a Week 6 loss to the New York Jets in which he and the offense were held to a season-low 14 points. “It was a great opportunity. A great team out there. Got a lot of respect for them as a team, and you know, I think we played really good complementary football. Had some negative plays, obviously with the fumble, but I mean, you can’t have that. I must be living bad with the other one, the tipped ball. I was just happy with how we played together, happy with how we persevered. We found ways to respond.”
Neither Hurts nor Eagles’ head coach Nick Sirianni elaborated on the injury. However, Sirianni did praise Hurts for his resilience in continuing to play despite it.
“Sirianni emphatically expressed his support for his quarterback, saying, “I couldn’t imagine anyone else leading our team. He gave an exceptional performance tonight. He’s a tough individual, as you all witnessed. Despite facing some difficulties, he soldiered on, proving his toughness over and over. Every game, ultimately, is a test of physical and mental resilience. Without a doubt, Jalen Hurts possesses both these qualities.”
Hurts’ final line saw him complete 23 of 31 passes for the aforementioned 279 yards and two touchdowns, with 11 carries for 21 yards and another score. The Eagles improved to 6-1 with the win and have the Washington Commanders (3-4) up next in Week 8.
If Hurts, the stoic, displayed any hint of concern after the game, it was when questioned whether his ailment would impact his future performance.
Hurts replied, “I hope not.”
