22 January 2023 , 18:33
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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni has paid his impressive young quarterback the highest compliment he could give after comparing him to Michael Jordan.
It's rare for athletes to be given the Jordan comparison, who is seen as arguably the greatest, winning athlete in United States sports history, but Siranni believes Hurts' gutsy performances this season is deserved of being mentioned in that category.
Hurts is currently playing through a severely hampered shoulder, injuring it in December, which happens to be his throwing arm. However, he did not look overly hampered - making a huge statement early on as he hit his receiver Devonta Smith for a deep pass and a 40-year completion.
He went on to score three touchdowns - two passing and one rushing - and outclassed the New York Giants defence as they dominated their division rivals.
Hurts has been incredible in his third season in the NFL, after two shaky opening seasons to begin his career the former college star has turned it around and looked like one of the better quarterbacks in the league in 2022.
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Hurts has been written off for a number of years, after losing his starting spot to Tua Tagovailoa at Alabama before transferring to Oklahoma, where he impressed and was drafted in the second round. After a full season as a starter in 2021, many were unsure if the Eagles should stick with Hurts, but the decision to do so has paid off, with his coach singing his praises after their division round playoff win.
Speaking after the game, Sirianni said: "I know this is high praise, but to have him out there is like having -- I shouldn't even go there -- it's like having Michael Jordan out there. He's your leader. He's your guy.
Siranni compared Hurts to Michael Jordan"Hopefully, that's the biggest respect I can pay to him, comparing his ability to being on the field to a Michael Jordan type. This guy leads. He brings this calmness to the entire team. He plays great football. He's as tough as they come. To me, nobody has played any better football than him this year."
Had it not been for Patrick Mahomes, Hurts would have been a potential MVP winner this season, but the Kansas City Chiefs star is seemingly destined to win the trophy after his phenomenal year.
For the Eagles, they will now sit back and watch tonight's Dallas Cowboys vs San Francisco 49ers game to see who they'll face next Sunday.