Nick Sirianni Sets Record Straight on "Emotionless" Jalen Hurts
Nick Sirianni set the record straight on Monday: Jalen Hurts isn’t a robot.
Last week, the Eagles quarterback talked about how he is “emotionless” when he plays the game. It’s evident on the bench when the defense is on the field.
The Eagles were running away from the Giants on Sunday and while some of his offensive mates yukked it up on the bench, Hurts sat next to them as stoic as a statue.
“We've got to balance each other out somehow, right, me and him?” Sirianni joked the day after the Eagles thumped the New York Giants 48-22 on Sunday.
The coach then pointed out some of the things that prove Hurts isn’t as robotic and emotionless as he may seem.
“I've seen some pretty good griddies that he's done, said the coach. “He had a good dance last year after Atlanta. He does the thing that my son likes to do after he makes a play like this (crossing his arms against his chest), and my son says I look like Jalen right here.
“Let's not make him out like he's not making any celebrations. Maybe in that particular case, he wasn't. But he has some good ones, and I know that because I see my son try to reenact those if he ever makes a play in one of his games.”
In the grand scheme of things, what does it matter whether Hurts crosses his arms across his chest, brushes the front of his jersey off, does the griddie, or spanks the goalpost with a towel as A.J. Brown did after one of his touchdowns?
In a results-based business such as the NFL, wins are the thing.
Hurts has won 15 of his last 16 regular-season starts and is very much in the MVP conversation.
Clearly, he has left the doubters in the dust.
“I carry my scars with me everywhere I go,” said Hurts after throwing for two touchdowns and running for another in the win over the Giants. “I don’t forget. Do I waste my energy worrying about the opinion of someone else, the opinion of the sheep? No.
“But I truly invest my focus in me getting better as a player, getting better as a quarterback, and doing the things I need to do for my team. Everybody and their opinion don’t deposit at the bank. I just try to stay true to myself, stay true to my teammates and chase my growth with them.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
