Dominant Dozen: Super Bowl MVP Checks In At No. 3

The defense stole the show in Super Bowl LIX. Jalen Hurts wasn’t too far from the scene of the crime, though.

The Eagles quarterback threw what forever will be remembered as “the dagger.” That was a 46-yard touchdown strike to DeVonta Smith that gave Philly a 34-0 lead late in the third quarter as it routed the Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22, in the Big Game on Feb. 9.

Hurts also had a 12-yard TD to A.J. Brown and finished with 221 yards passing. He added 72 yards rushing and two more scores. That’s nearly 300 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns on the NFL’s biggest stage, and he was named the Super Bowl MVP.

It was Hurts’ consistency all season long, and his ability to take care of the football, that landed him at No. 3 on our “Dominant Dozen” from the Eagles’ 2024 season with 19 points, which was the same number that Jalen Carter had, but based on tiebreakers, Hurts came in third.

Eagles on SI reporters Ed Kracz and John McMullen compiled independent lists of the 12 most impactful Eagles during their Super Bowl LIX-winning season, with No. 1 being awarded 12 points, down to the 12th man earning one point.

Kracz had Hurts a bit lower on his list than McMullen, putting him fifth to McMullen’s second.

The list so far:

4) Jalen Carter (19)

5) Cooper DeJean (15)

6) Lane Johnson (14)

7) Quinyon Mitchell (10)

8) A.J. Brown (9, wins tiebreaker)

9) Nakobe Dean (9)

10) Jordan Mailata (7)

11) Cam Jurgens (4)

12) DeVonta Smith (3)

Others receiving votes who just missed the list were Nolan Smith and Darius Slay.

It what was a remarkable stretch, Hurts threw only one interception over the Eagles’ final 12 regular-season games then had only one interception in four playoff games.

A year after throwing a career-high 15 in the 2023 regular season, Hurts rebounded by throwing just five in the Super Bowl-winning regular season. His dual-threat ability was on display, accounting for 32 total touchdowns - 18 passing, 14 rushing.

Hurts did it all with yet another new offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore. He will try to have the same kind of success this season under first-year OC Kevin Patullo after Moore left to be the head coach of the New Orleans Saints.

More NFL: Mining Late Gold In Draft: 5 Unheralded Prospects Who Could Help Eagles