Jalen Hurts isn’t concerned about stats or how it looks in Super Bowl LIX: ‘It’s always been about winning’

According to Jalen Hurts, winning can look different in any given week, even if that means the passing game takes a backseat and he remains in his so-called “straitjacket.”

That wasn’t the case on Sunday in the Eagles’ NFC championship win over the Washington Commanders. The 26-year-old Hurts went 20-of-28 for 246 yards and a passing touchdown, his most prolific performance in the passing game of the postseason. Hurts executed on the ground, too, with three rushing touchdowns, including two via the Tush Push.

Hurts said postgame that Nick Sirianni “let me out of my straitjacket a little bit,” poking fun at the external expectation of what a solid performance from the quarterback is supposed to look like. While Hurts said Friday that he was “just joking around after the game” with his comments, he emphasized that his role could look different in any given game, even in the Super Bowl.

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“It’s about efficiency,” Hurts said Friday. “It’s about winning at this point. It’s always been about winning. But when you’re able to win in a number of different ways, it’s just about mastering whatever the plan is in that particular game and in that particular moment. Just making sure everyone’s on the same page when we go out there and execute.”

Execution will be critical for everyone, not just Hurts, in the Eagles’ rematch against the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX. Hurts and his teammates who were on the roster two years ago know what it feels like to fall short of the ultimate goal after giving up 17 points in the fourth quarter to lose to the Chiefs, 38-35, in Super Bowl LVII.

Hurts said he didn’t dwell on that loss. Instead, he used it as a learning experience, just as he has with all other losses he has experienced throughout his football career.

“Obviously you still have different motivations, and I’m motivated by any time you come up short in anything,” Hurts said. “Having that perspective of just trying to learn from all of your lessons. So no shortcoming is bigger than the other. You just want to learn from them all.”

At the very least, Hurts learned the challenges presented by the Chiefs defense under Steve Spagnuolo. The defensive coordinator spent eight seasons with the Eagles learning under the late defensive coordinator Jim Johnson, adopting his affinity for using various blitz packages. Hurts fared well against the blitz in the Super Bowl two years ago, going 13-of-18 for 101 yards, according to Pro Football Focus.

Given Spagnuolo’s tendency to incorporate unscouted looks into his defense, Hurts emphasized the importance of the two weeks of preparation before the Super Bowl.

“You want to try and prepare yourself for all the different things and just go out there and execute and play clean,” Hurts said.

In the wake of the Super Bowl loss, Hurts also continued to learn the importance of not letting the magnitude of the moment distract from the task at hand. He has played in several big games throughout his career, from the Super Bowl to his back-to-back national championship trips with Alabama in 2016 and 2017. Hurts said that his process has remained the same, regardless of the weight of the game.

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“My approach is just to take it a day at a time,” Hurts said. “It starts with the preparation throughout the week and being diligent with the work of putting the time in, putting forth the effort, so when it’s time to go out there and go, you feel prepared.”

Two days away from the team’s flight to New Orleans, Hurts said he’s feeling “fine” after suffering a knee injury in the divisional-round win over the Los Angeles Rams on Jan. 19.

His head is in the right place, too, as he knows what to expect going into his second Super Bowl appearance.

“In the end, it’s a business trip, and it’s an opportunity that we’ve worked for to have and we want to take advantage of it,” Hurts said.

The Eagles released an injury report on Friday with game statuses, reflecting the likelihood of each player being available if their next game was Sunday. Kenneth Gainwell (concussion/knee) was the only player on the 53-man roster listed as questionable.

Three players who are on injured reserve also were listed as questionable — Brandon Graham (elbow), Britain Covey (neck), and C.J. Uzomah (abdomen).

The Eagles practiced for a second time this week on Friday. DeVonta Smith (hamstring), Cam Jurgens (back), Landon Dickerson (knee), Saquon Barkley (rest), A.J. Brown (rest), and Dallas Goedert (rest/ankle) did not practice for a second straight day. Zack Baun (groin) did not practice on Friday, making him a new addition to the injury report.

Nolan Smith (illness) and Moro Ojomo (shoulder) returned to practice after missing the session on Thursday. Graham continued to practice in a limited capacity as he eyes a return for the Super Bowl.