Philadelphia Eagles sign Jalen Hurts to a record-setting contract extension

| American Football | 04/18/2023

The Philadelphia Eagles have officially secured their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future, as the team announced that they have signed Jalen Hurts to a five-year contract extension worth $255 million.

The contract includes nearly $180 million in guaranteed money, which is the second most guaranteed money in a contract in NFL history, behind Deshaun Watson’s deal with the Cleveland Browns.  The total amount of money included in the deal is also the second highest in league history, behind Patrick Mahomes’ 10-year, $450 million contract.  Additionally, Hurts can earn up to $15 million in incentives, increasing the maximum amount of money he can make on this contract to $270 million.

However, in terms of average annual value, Philadelphia’s franchise player is about to become the highest-paid player in NFL history.

After an impressive collegiate career at Alabama and Oklahoma, Hurts was drafted in the second round, 53rd overall, by the Eagles in the 2020 NFL Draft.  He played sparingly in his rookie season but became the team’s starter in 2021.  In his first year as a starter, Hurts was good, but not necessarily spectacular, as he finished the season with 3,144 yards passing, along with 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions.  He also added 784 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.  Hurts managed to lead his team to the last wild card spot in the NFC before the Eagles were defeated by Tom Brady and the Buccaneers in the wild card round.

In 2022, Hurts made enormous strides in a breakout season, and immediately vaulted himself into the conversation of being one of the league’s best quarterbacks.  He improved his numbers from the year before across the board, finishing with 3,701 passing yards and 22 passing touchdowns.  He also cut down on his interceptions from the year before, finishing with just six.  On the ground, he ran for 760 yards and 13 touchdowns (which was tied for second in the league among all players).  His incredible lower body strength allowed the Eagles to become virtually unstoppable in short-yardage quarterback sneak situations.

After finishing the season 14-1 as a starter, Hurts led his team to Super Bowl LVII.  Although Hurts and the offense put up 35 points, the Eagles lost the game to Mahomes and the Chiefs in a thriller.

Despite the massive size of this contract, it could look like a bargain down the road if Hurts is able to stay healthy and keep up his form from last season.  The Eagles have done a great job of locking up their key players to long-term contracts, so this talented core will likely stay together for years to come.

A current student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Carter played football in high school and has been a lifelong avid football fan.