Jalen Hurts has never needed to say much to leave a mark. His jersey, his plays, and now his hoodie do most of the talking. In Philadelphia, No. 1 isn’t just a number… It’s a statement, stitched into thousands of midnight green jerseys and cemented by a Super Bowl MVP performance that saw Hurts account for three touchdowns and a record-setting 72 rushing yards. The same guy who once went toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes now finds his name etched into the city’s skyline. Quite literally. The iconic LOVE Park sign temporarily read, “Hurts” with a Jumpman logo, a nod to his Jordan Brand partnership. And during the Super Bowl parade, Hurts leaned into the moment with a “Love, Hurts” hoodie that sparked both fan buzz and retail demand. The pun was perfect. So was the message, legacy, stitched with style, built by substance.

Now, when Philly native David Corenswet, star of the upcoming Superman film, was asked which player he’d trust with one yard to win it all, he didn’t choose Mahomes. He chose Hurts, the guy who’s made clutch plays his signature. That admiration has followed Hurts beyond football, fueling his rise as a face of the league and a player whose No. 1 jersey feels inevitable for retirement in Philly. But Hurts’ connection to No. 1 comes with a backstory and, surprisingly, a Cowboys twist. Before the jersey became his brand, Hurts started his NFL journey in the No. 2 he wore as a rookie. And back in college? That number wasn’t even his first choice. It turns out Hurts made a significant sacrifice, giving up his preferred number for none other than CeeDee Lamb.

In a YouTube video posted by the Philadelphia Eagles on their official channel, Jalen Hurts finally explained the backstory behind his No. 1 jersey. “I grew up wearing number two because of my brother. And when I got to Bama, Coach Saban let me get number two.” Hurts shared. That connection stuck through his high school days in Texas and carried into his three seasons at Alabama, where he built a winning pedigree as the Crimson Tide’s starting quarterback.

But things changed when he transferred to Oklahoma for his senior season. That’s where CeeDee Lamb, a four-time Pro Bowler was already wearing No. 2. Hurts made the call not to press for it. “CeeDee Lamb wore number two. And I told him it wasn’t even a discussion if I was going to try and get it—like that’s you, you know,” he recalled. That gesture holds weight when you consider what Lamb became: First-Team All-Pro honor in 2023 after racking up 1,194 yards and six touchdowns before injury cut his year short.

via Imago

So, Hurts pivoted, donning No. 1 at Oklahoma, and it “stuck,” as he described. “So, I wore number one, and I liked it, and it stuck,” he said. By the time the Eagles drafted Hurts in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, he had every intention of carrying that identity to the pros. But there was one hiccup: punter Cameron Johnston held the No. 1 jersey at the time, so Hurts had to revert to No. 2 during his rookie year. It was a modest debut. Four starts in 15 games, with 1,061 passing yards, six touchdowns, and another 354 yards and three scores rushing. Yet, destiny seemed inevitable. When Johnston left for the Texans in free agency ahead of the 2021 season, just as Hurts was set to become the Eagles’ full-time starter after Carson Wentz’s departure, Hurts jumped on the vacant No. 1.

And that choice wasn’t just a number swap. It became a symbol. “So, I love how it looks—like it’s just a little different energy,” Hurts added. That energy translated into results, history, and maybe even a legacy. Hurts became the first non-kicker in franchise history to wear No. 1. And in the years since, he’s pushed the Eagles to a Super Bowl. At this rate, he might not just be the first Eagle to wear it; he could be the last.

NFL ranks Jalen Hurts ninth: The paradox of Philly’s superman

Jalen Hurts has spent years turning skeptics into believers, but there’s still one wall he hasn’t been able to break: NFL decision-makers. Despite outplaying Patrick Mahomes on football’s biggest stage, setting short-yardage records, Hurts only came in ninth on ESPN’s annual insider quarterback rankings. Coaches and scouts acknowledged his clutch gene and overall efficiency, yet they slotted him behind names like Justin Herbert and Joe Burrow. Quarterbacks who haven’t even sniffed his Super Bowl success. That’s the paradox Hurts lives in, was celebrated publicly, but still doubted privately.

“Hurts’ status is cemented,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler insisted. “He’s a Super Bowl winner who plays big in big moments. He’s the most potent short-yardage quarterback rusher in NFL history… And he throws a beautiful deep ball. That touchdown pass to Devonta Smith in Super Bowl LIX was a Superdome-sized work of art.” The numbers reinforce it. Hurts slashed his interception total from 15 to five last season, led the league in completion percentage over expected (+6.6), and bulldozed for 14 rushing touchdowns. His fourth straight year cracking double digits. With Saquon Barkley flanking him, Philly’s offense rarely missed a beat. But critics still see blemishes.

Fowler noted that Hurts faltered when asked to be a high-volume thrower last year. A flaw PFF echoed by ranking him No. 50 on their Top 50 list. Despite praising his 91.5 playoff passing grade and explosive plays offset by turnover risks. Meanwhile, Mahomes, of course, topped ESPN’s rankings. Josh Allen, still chasing his first Super Bowl appearance, landed at No. 2. That leaves Hurts sitting in a strange limbo. A quarterback who wins, produces, elevates his team, yet can’t seem to shatter the league’s glass ceiling of respect. Maybe 2025 will be the year Hurts forces the NFL’s gatekeepers to finally recognize what Eagles fans. And even Hollywood’s new Superman, already see: Philly’s real-life Superman is already here.