Jalen Hurts named one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people of the year
The Eagles quarterback was one of just six athletes to make the list.
Eagles fans already knew Jalen Hurts was an icon. But it helps that thanks to the Super Bowl LIX victory and his Super Bowl MVP trophy, everyone else can see it, too.
On Wednesday, Hurts was named to Time Magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people, in the “icons” category.
Hurts is one of just six athletes to make the list, and the only football player. The other athletes included are Simone Biles, Serena Williams, WNBA players and Unrivaled cofounders Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, and Olympic swimmer Léon Marchand. Others in the icons category include Marchand, Adrien Brody, Demi Moore, Gisèle Pelicot, David Muir, and Bobbi Brown.
For some reason, perhaps their connection as Jordan Brand athletes, Derek Jeter was enlisted to write about Hurts’ selection. Here’s what he had to say:
“I admire how great athletes deal with both success and failure,” he wrote. “What Jalen Hurts went through in being benched during the 2018 National Championship game would break a lot of people down. But not Jalen; he focused on what he could control and found a new path to success. In the NFL, Jalen didn’t let a Super Bowl defeat in 2023 shake his confidence. He used that loss as motivation and kept a picture of himself walking off the field after losing as his phone lock screen.
“This past February, Jalen found himself on the Super Bowl stage again. This time he led Philadelphia to a convincing victory in its rematch with Kansas City. We connected shortly after, and the only thing he asked about was insight on going back and winning again. Sometimes people win, then exhale. Jalen is not exhaling. He’s embracing the next challenge. Win or lose, Jalen’s resilience and determination offer all of us something to admire.”
In addition to his impact on the field, Hurts launched the Jalen Hurts Foundation in 2024, and donated $5,000 for each touchdown scored this past season to help fund air conditioners in Philadelphia schools. Gov. Josh Shapiro honored Hurts with the “Citizen of the Year” award for his charity work.
In 2023, Hurts was one of the cover stars for the Time100 Next list, honoring rising stars in health, climate, sports, the arts, and more.
This year, Hurts wasn’t the only local honoree. Chutatip “Nok” Suntaranon, chef and owner of Kalaya in Fishtown, also made the list, as did Camden artist Mickalene Thomas. Haverford College grads Daniel Dae Kim (Lost) and Howard Lutnick (U.S. Secretary of Commerce), and Elon Musk, a Penn grad, were also among those on the list.
Time Magazine has released the Time100 list every year since 2004, honoring 100 of the most influential people in the world. The list is separated into a few broad categories, which have changed over time, but currently include artists, icons, leaders, titans, pioneers, and innovators.
Hurts and the others on the list will be honored at the Time100 Gala on April 24 that will air as a prime-time special on May 4 on 6abc.