Eagles' Jalen Hurts on new offensive system: we just want to go out there and attack
Yahoo Sports’ Eric Edholm goes 1-on-1 with the Philadelphia quarterback, who talks about learning a new offensive system under new head coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen. Hurts also discusses reuniting with his former Alabama teammate and 2020 Heisman Trophy winner, Devonta Smith, and how the rookie wide receiver is ready to become one of his most reliable targets.
The Eagles' QB and team captain has teamed up with FedEx's Air & Ground Awards, which recognizes the NFL quarterbacks and running backs delivering the best performances for their fans and teammates each week. With support from FedEx, Direct Relief will provide an emergency medical backpack to a local community clinic or health center in the markets of the winning quarterback and running back. The backpack will help them take care of 500 people in the community.
Video Transcript
ERIC EDHOLM: Well, joining us now on behalf of the FedEx Air and Ground NFL Awards is Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. And Jalen, we're going to be asking about that in just a moment. But first, start of the season just a couple days away. You guys are heading down to Atlanta, excuse me. And as a team, you've had a lot of changes this year. You're the starting quarterback from week one. You've been named a team captain. A lot of new teammates, new coaching staff. How confident are you that you can bring all these differences together, all these changes, adapt, and also win this season?
JALEN HURTS: Yeah, so we put a lot of hard work in, a lot into this, a lot into this year, as a team, as a group, and as a coaching staff. So we just want to go out there and let our work show. We want to go out there and let our work show.
ERIC EDHOLM: One familiar thing at least from the past, your former Bama teammate Devonte Smith, he's now in Philadelphia with you, Heisman Trophy winner, had an incredible season. I know he's been set back a little bit by injuries. But where have you seen the most growth in Devonte since you first started playing with him and last played with him?
And can he be trusted as a rookie to be one of your most reliable targets this season?
JALEN HURTS: Yes, sir. Smitty has always been a smooth, cool, calm, and collected guy. Always been a blue collar guy, always came in and did his job, and worked really hard. So I've always had a respect for his game and how it goes about his business. And we're going to need everybody. We're going to need everybody.
ERIC EDHOLM: What have you noticed about the offense that's being run by Nick Sirianni, your head coach, Shane Steichen as well? Does it resemble any of the offenses you played before? And what are some of the things you like most about both the play calling and the scheme design?
JALEN HURTS: Yes. It's been a mixture of a few different things. I've had a different play caller every year for the last six years. But coming into this year, I feel like I've built a great relationship with Coach Steichen and Coach Sirianni. And it's a daily grind to always make sure we're on the same page, and that we're seeing everything the same. So I definitely admire that. And we just want to go out there and attack, play physical football, and execute. It's the biggest thing right there is execution.
ERIC EDHOLM: Your mental toughness is often brought up as one of your sort of hallmarks, one of your greatest traits. You always seem sort of cool under pressure out there no matter what's going on. Where does that come from? Is there anything in your life where that isn't the case? Or is there any element where you don't have that sense of calm and control? Because it looks to be there out on the field pretty much all the time.
JALEN HURTS: Yes. Before you master or conquer a situation, you have to conquer yourself. You have to conquer your mind. And I've always had the mindset of keeping the main thing the main thing, never getting to high, never getting too low. And I always put my best foot forward. And it comes from my childhood. It comes from the things that I was around as a kid. It just comes from that.
ERIC EDHOLM: We mentioned earlier you're teaming up with FedEx. You guys collaborated on a new launch video to kick off this season's awards. What can you tell us about that? It seems like a pretty exciting thing.
JALEN HURTS: It's a very exciting thing. It's an award that FedEx has been doing for the last 19 years. And basically, the award goes out to the best performer through the air throughout the NFL as well as on the ground. They're actually donating $4,000 weekly to HBCUs in need. So that's a great deal. And it can be very helpful for HBCUs. And I just want to encourage fans to go out there and vote weekly at nfl.com/fedex. It's a great cause.
ERIC EDHOLM: Great cause and a great ambassador, a guy who can throw it and run it air and ground together in one. Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback. Thank you so much for joining us here on Yahoo Sports today.
JALEN HURTS: Thank you. Thank you for having me.
