Jalen Hurts’ Championship Mindset: The Power of Team, Grit, and Growth

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On Sunday, Jalen Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to a dominant 40-20 victory over the reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, also taking home MVP honors. This wasn’t just another win—it was the culmination of a journey filled with trials, setbacks, and relentless perseverance.

Seven years ago, Hurts was benched at halftime of the College Football National Championship while playing for Alabama, replaced by rising star Tua Tagovailoa. Five years ago, he watched as four quarterbacks were drafted ahead of him. Two years ago, he walked off the field after losing the Super Bowl to Kansas City.

And now? He’s a champion—forever ingrained in history.

Author Brad Stulberg recently reflected on Hurts’ journey, writing on X:

"Resilience is not about getting knocked down; it's about getting up. People think progress is linear, but it's not. It's why you've got to love your craft and you've got to love the people you do it with."

For Hurts, that love extends beyond football. He understands the importance of surrounding himself with the right people—on and off the field. Early in his NFL career, he built a management team composed entirely of women. He didn’t set out to make a statement; he simply sought the best people for the job.

"It’s something that happened organically. I was seeking out the best, and that’s how it happened. I have a team of straight hustlers ... They get things done. And that’s how I am on the field and off the field," Hurts told Sports Illustrated in 2022.

Following the Super Bowl, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni summed it up best:

"You cannot be great without the greatness of others."

The Leadership Mindset: Turning Losses into Lessons

This isn’t just a story about a quarterback winning a championship. It’s about life testing a leader over and over again—and that leader continuing to rise, inspire, and compete when it would have been easy to give up.

Leadership and life guarantee challenges. But setbacks aren’t failures if we embrace them as opportunities for growth.

Hurts’ story is one of relentless pursuit—of excellence, of continuous learning, and of building relationships that elevate others. He has embraced wisdom from those who came before him, drawing inspiration and guidance to help his team evolve and be ready for the moment.

And in doing so, he has shaped a powerful vision—one rooted in daily discipline, an unshakable mindset, and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Over the years, Hurts has been heard reciting these quotes, embedding them into his leadership philosophy:

• “Rent is due every day.” — J.J. Watt

• “Growing every day, attacking every day, trying to get better every day.” — Jalen Hurts

• “Ten percent of life is what happens to you. Ninety percent is how you respond.” — Charles Swindoll

• “I had a purpose before everyone had an opinion.” — Jalen Hurts

• “We have a standard for ourselves, and it only rises.”

• “You either win or you learn.” — Nelson Mandela

• “Keep the main thing, the main thing.”

• “I ain’t hungry. I’m starving for this.”

Competing for the Super Bowl of Life

We may not be suiting up on Sundays, but in our own ways, we are all competing for the Super Bowl of life—pushing toward our unique opportunities to live, lead, love and serve at our highest calling and levels.

What championship are you chasing? Who is on your team? How do you transform obstacles into fuel for growth?

Jalen Hurts’ journey reminds us that resilience and grit aren’t about avoiding adversity—they’re about embracing it, learning from it, and using it to propel ourselves forward. The standard isn’t static. It only rises.

For those who are truly committed to their craft and their people—the best is always yet to come.

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