Former Sooner Quarterback Jalen Hurts won the NFC Championship this afternoon, clinching his ticket to play for the Lombardi in Glendale, Arizona, two weeks from today. On the year, Hurts has been outstanding for the Eagles, leading them to a conference-high 14 wins. In year 3 for Hurts, he has accumulated 3,701 yards passing with a 22-6 TD-INT ratio. However, Hurts is not only an efficient passer but is also a talented runner, as he has racked up 760 yards on the ground, scoring 13 times. Hurts’ stellar play has made him an MVP finalist, as well as a Pro Bowler. After today’s win, Hurts will not be making the trip to Vegas to play in the flag football game as he will now be preparing to play in his first of hopefully many Super Bowls.
Time at Oklahoma
After transferring to the University of Oklahoma from Alabama, Jalen Hurts was a Heisman finalist for the Sooners, leading the Sooners to a CFP berth. Hurts’ season was essential for his now NFL career because, without his season in Norman, he would not have been in the position he is in now with the Eagles. Before deciding to transfer to Oklahoma, Hurts was projected to be at best a 6th-round draft pick.
After just one season wearing the interlocking OU, he soared up the draft boards, where he was taken in the 2nd round. This was in due part to his Heisman runner-up year, where he amassed 5,174 total yards of offense, scoring a whopping 53 times. Hurts scored at least once by either throwing, rushing, or receiving as he caught the memorable touchdown pass in the Bedlam beatdown of 2019. The first Sooner to achieve the touchdown trifecta since Tommy McDonald did so in 1956. Honestly, Hurts would have hoisted the Heisman Trophy in New York if it wasn’t for Joe Burrow. Burrow had what is considered by many, the greatest season by a college football quarterback.
Other Sooners playing today
The 9 Sooners playing on Conference Championship Sunday is the most in the nation. Jalen Hurts is not the only Sooner heading to the Super Bowl he will also be accompanied by his Pro Bowl Right Tackle and fellow Sooner great Lane Johnson. Johnson is an elite Right Tackle who was drafted 4th overall by the Eagles in 2013. Johnson is currently battling a groin injury that requires surgery. However, he is not allowing the painful groin injury to sideline him since he is holding off surgery until the Eagles’ Super Bowl run concludes. Johnson’s trip to Arizona is another opportunity to hoist the Lombardi, his 2nd Super Bowl appearance as he won Super Bowl LII with the Eagles.
In the ongoing AFC Championship game, 5 Sooners are playing for the chance to play in Super Bowl LVII. There are 4 former Sooners on the Chiefs, Blake Bell, Tight End; Creed Humphrey, Center; Orlando Brown Jr, Left Tackle, and James Winchester, long snapper. Only 2 Sooners are suiting up for the Bengals, iconic Running Back duo, Thunder and Lightning, Joe Mixon, and Samaje Perine. The backfield of Mixon and Perine is looking to return to the Super Bowl for the 2nd consecutive season. Of the Sooners playing tonight, only two have had the privilege to win a Super Bowl, Blake Bell, and James Winchester, both of which won Super Bowl LIV with no other than the Kansas City Chiefs.
Cover photo courtesy of @OU_Football on Twitter
