Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts convinced team spirit makes Eagles fly

By Andy Hampson, PA

Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts believes the Eagles’ charge to Super Bowl LVII has been fuelled by their collective strength.

Hurts has been one of the stand-out figures in the Eagles’ run to Sunday’s NFL showpiece at the Arizona Cardinals’ State Farm Stadium, where they will take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Receiver AJ Brown, running back Miles Sanders and linebacker Haason Reddick have also been among the key players but Hurts feels it has been a team effort.

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The 24-year-old told reporters: “I think the number one thing is to invest in your team-mates and coaches.

“It’s important to go out there and build relationships with the people around you, the people that you’re going to be playing with so everyone can play that much harder for one another.

“I feel like if you have a relationship with someone, you know them on a personal level, they’re going to play harder for you on the field.

“I think that’s why we’ve come so far, because we’ve been truly connected all year. We’ve been on the same page.

“We’ve competed hard for one another. You can see that passion on the field, you can see that passion in the stands and the city of Philly. It all goes together.”

Hurts has formed potent partnerships with Brown and fellow receiver DeVonta Smith, both of whom he has clear and long-standing chemistry with.

The Texan has been friends with Brown since they were in the same high school recruitment cycle while Smith is a former team-mate from his college days at Alabama.

Hurts said: “I always reflect on how cool it is to play with guys that I’ve known for a very long time.

“I’ve got guys from Oklahoma in that locker room, some from Alabama in that locker room.

“I think birds of a feather flock together and I think those are guys that I call true friends, and not only because of the men that they are, but the competitors they are, what drives them, what motivates them to be great. We come in every day eager to take another step.

“No one is independent in this thing, we’re all dependent on one another. We challenge each other, we encourage each other and we push each other.”