Eagles DB: Jalen Hurts Is 'Best in the World' and Super Bowl Speech Was 'Unbelievable'
Joseph Zucker
Feb 12, 2025
Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Sydney Brown labeled quarterback Jalen Hurts the "best in the world" following the team's Super Bowl LIX triumph over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Hurts went 17-of-22 for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Philly's 40-22 victory, earning the game's MVP.
Brown told ESPN's Tim McManus the two-time Pro Bowler's contributions went beyond the field. On the Saturday night before the Super Bowl, Hurts was among the Eagles players to rally the squad at the team hotel.
"I don't know how to explain the emotion that Jalen had in his speech," Brown said to McManus. "It was unbelievable. There's a reason why he won Super Bowl MVP. He's the best in the world."
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Winning the Super Bowl was a validating moment for Hurts. As the confetti was falling at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Jordan Brand released an ad that referenced the longstanding skepticism toward the 26-year-old as it saluted his achievement.
No longer will Hurts have to face the question of whether he can be the starting quarterback on a Super Bowl champion, having previously come up short against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs once before.
However, some would still push back at the notion Hurts is now the "best in the world," since that title can remain with Mahomes even though he lost.
But becoming a Super Bowl champion means you get to talk your talk, so nobody should begrudge Brown too much for the lavish praise toward his teammate.
A.J. Brown Says Excitement over Eagles' Super Bowl Win Lasted 2 Days: 'Back 2 Work!'
Doric Sam
Feb 12, 2025
After getting a taste of his first career Super Bowl title, Philadelphia Eagles star receiver A.J. Brown is already turning the page to chasing another one.
Brown reflected on his first championship victory in a lengthy post on Instagram and revealed that the celebration didn't last as long as he expected.
"After a few days, I’ve had time to reflect on being a champion," Brown wrote in his caption. "I tried to feel how everyone made it seem to be a champion and unfortunately it was short lived.. two days to be exact lol."
AJ Brown reflects on being a Super Bowl champion — he’s not satisfied just yet 😤 pic.twitter.com/FYJ4Grkra9
Brown had three catches for 43 yards and a touchdown in Philadelphia's 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday. While the 27-year-old was happy with the victory, he indicated that he wasn't satisfied with his contributions to the team's success because he knows he could be better.
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"I’ve never been a champion at the highest level before but I thought my hard work would be justified by winning it all. It wasn’t. My thrill for this game comes when i dominate," Brown stated.
Brown closed his post by declaring that he's ready to begin preparing to help the Eagles defend their Super Bowl title in 2025.
"I love putting smiles on peoples faces, don’t get me wrong but it just wasn’t what I thought it would be," he wrote. "It’s the journey that I love the most. BACK 2 Work!
Eagles' Dallas Goedert Talks Super Bowl, Saquon, Jalen Hurts, More in B/R Interview
Scott Polacek
Feb 11, 2025
Winning a Super Bowl hasn't sunk in yet for Dallas Goedert.
But he likes the way it sounds.
"Being a Super Bowl champion still doesn't feel real," the Philadelphia Eagles tight end told Bleacher Report on Tuesday. "But I like when people say Super Bowl champion Dallas Goedert. It's got a nice ring to it."
There is something special about reaching the sport's mountaintop with the NFL team that drafted you, and that is now reality for Goedert. The 2018 second-round pick out of South Dakota State has been with the Eagles his entire career and captured the Lombardi Trophy in his seventh year.
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While he has been overshadowed by other tight ends around the league at times, he has long been a critical piece of Philadelphia's aerial attack with five seasons of more than 500 receiving yards.
He took advantage of his opportunities in an offense that was loaded with playmakers in Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and Jalen Hurts with 42 catches for 496 yards and two touchdowns this season as he accomplished the NFL's ultimate goal in something of a full-circle moment.
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"I got drafted the year after the Eagles won the Super Bowl, so I came in here and was like, 'man, we're going to win the Super Bowl every year,'" Goedert said. "Seven years later it's my first one, so it's not as easy as I thought it was going to be.
"But it's incredible. Being in Philadelphia for seven years, the incredible city that it is, the passionate fans, it seems like every week is a home game because they travel so well and care so much about us. It's just awesome being able to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to a city that deserves it so much."
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Goedert helped bring that trophy home by being at his best in some of the biggest moments.
He scored a touchdown in the NFC Wild Card Round win over the Green Bay Packers and then posted a team-high seven catches for 85 yards in the NFC Championship Game win over the Washington Commanders.
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While Goedert's final stat line in Sunday's Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs didn't jump off the page with two catches for 27 yards, he jumpstarted much of his team's offensive momentum in the 40-22 victory.
After both teams traded punts on the opening two possessions, Goedert hauled in a 20-yard reception to move into Kansas City territory and then drew an unnecessary roughness penalty to keep the drive alive. It was the first important sequence of the game during a drive that ended with Hurts scoring the initial touchdown.
"It always feels good to be involved. Selfishly, the catch and run and the penalty that came after helped us get that first score, so I'll take credit for it as much as I can," he said while laughing. "I can't wait to show everybody that play because having a catch in the Super Bowl is special."
Over the middle is a wide open Dallas Goedert for a pickup of 20 yards
That catch also helped Goedert's Eagles finally get over the hump.
They were coming off a championship when they drafted him and reached the playoffs in six of his seven seasons—including when they reached Super Bowl LVII two years ago—but Sunday marked his first Lombardi Trophy.
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So when did he know this year's group was special enough to accomplish the goal?
"It goes back, when we made the Super Bowl run two years ago, I remember the A.J. Brown trade and hearing the news," he said. "Once he got there it was like, 'man, we have a special team, we have a chance to do something special.' But we fell a little bit short.
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"It was the same thing in free agency, we had a lot of great signings, but the one that stands out is Saquon Barkley. When we got him, I knew he filled a piece that we were missing at the time. Obviously, he didn't disappoint and put on a show all year. That was when I knew we had a chance even though there was a little adversity starting 2-2 going into the bye week. But the bye week was good, we reflected and said, 'we have too good of a team to be doing this.' And we were able to go on a winning streak and get the job done."
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Getting the job done also gives Goedert a larger platform to discuss some of the struggles he has faced with plaque psoriasis for much of his life.
He partnered with Amgen to spread awareness of the common, autoimmune condition that impacts more than six million adults in the United States and shared even more of his story on DallasGStory.com.
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"Since I was about 10 years old I suffered with plaque psoriasis, which caused flaky rough patches on the skin," Goedert said. "For me, being a football player, it can be tough because you're in the locker room and everybody sees it. I always tried to cover it up, but you can't do that in the locker room.
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"I tried putting topicals on it, but that was always hard with my lifestyle. … I was able to get in contact with Amgen and find something that worked for me and works from the inside out. It's been a game-changer.
"I just want to use this platform to help everybody I can who is going through the same issues."
On the field, Goedert was also facing a familiar obstacle with the Chiefs on the other sideline in Sunday's Super Bowl. After all, it was Kansas City that defeated the Eagles 38-35 in a back-and-forth contest in the Super Bowl just two years ago.
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It was much different this time around, and Goedert said the chance to defeat the same team that prevented his last chance at a championship was "absolutely" a motivating factor.
"Losing the Super Bowl was tough for everybody on the team," he said. "You never expect to lose that game. When the clock hits zero, you're stunned and feel empty. So having the opportunity to play them again, we wanted to make sure that didn't happen. Everybody had that extra bit of motivation. We knew how it felt, whether you were there or not, we talked about it enough. Everybody wanted to get it done for ourselves and for everyone in Philadelphia."
One major difference for this year's team compared to the one that lost the Super Bowl and the one that struggled down the stretch of the 2023 campaign was the addition of Barkley.
All he did was nearly break Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards with 2,005 rushing yards, 278 receiving yards and 15 total touchdowns on his way to the Offensive Player of the Year.
His incredible performances didn't stop with the regular season, as Barkley ran for 205 yards and two touchdowns in the NFC Divisional Round win over the Los Angeles Rams and 118 yards and three touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game win over the Commanders.
SAQUON BARKLEY 60 YARD TD ON THE EAGLES FIRST PLAY 🤯😱
Goedert joked that he found himself watching replays of Barkley's incredible plays on the scoreboard "way too often" as his season progressed.
"I got the pleasure of blocking for him, so a lot of times I don't get to see what happened live," he said. "So I'm locked into the screen because you never know when he's going to take it 60 or 70 yards to the house. I enjoy watching film just because of that. I'll see him find these holes that aren't even there. It's been incredible having him, and, as great of a player he is, he's an even better person, which makes it even more special."
Barkley was largely unstoppable this season, but it was Hurts who took home the Super Bowl MVP by throwing for 221 yards and two touchdowns to go with a game-high 72 yards and a score on the ground.
He was the better quarterback for the majority of a game that also included an all-time great in Patrick Mahomes, which was all the more notable for someone who has faced scrutiny and questions about his overall ceiling and ability to be an elite thrower during his career.
"Jalen doesn't care about his personal stats, which sometimes makes it tough because the media loves to see a quarterback throw it 40 times and have lots of yards and touchdowns," Goedert said.
"But all he cares about is winning. He'll do whatever he can to help the team, whether it's making plays or handing the ball off so other people can do it. That's the cool thing about him. Winning this one for him was incredible, but I hope they keep doubting him because he loves to prove people wrong."
Eagles fans would surely love for Hurts to keep proving the doubters wrong by going back-to-back next year.
Eagles' Josh Sweat Says He Should've Won Super Bowl MVP, Talks Free-Agency Contract
Mike Chiari
Feb 11, 2025
After his spectacular performance in the Philadelphia Eagles' dominant 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, pass-rusher Josh Sweat expressed his belief that he was deserving of the big game's highest honor.
Speaking to Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sweat made mention of the Super Bowl MVP award, saying: "I should've had it. I could've had it. It's all good, though."
Sweat, 27, led the Eagles with 2.5 sacks and six pressures, as the Philly defense stymied quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense for the first three quarters of the game.
The Chiefs didn't score any points until there were 34 seconds left in the third quarter. The Eagles' ferocious pass rush was the biggest reason why, as they took Mahomes down six times.
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Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was chosen as MVP after going 17-of-22 for 221 yards, two touchdowns and one interception while also rushing for 72 yards and a score.
Although Hurts played well, Philadelphia's defense was the story of the game. Sweat had the best production among Eagles defensive players, so there was a strong argument to be made for him as MVP.
While Super Bowl MVP wasn't in the cards for Sweat, he likely made himself a ton of money with his performance, as he is set to hit free agency this offseason.
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The 2018 fourth-round pick out of Florida State has been a consistent contributor for the Eagles, recording six or more sacks in each of the past five seasons.
Sweat was named a Pro Bowler for the first and only time in 2021 and followed it up with a career-high 11 sacks in 2022. This season, Sweat had eight sacks, 41 tackles, nine tackles for loss and 15 quarterback hits in 16 games.
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While Sweat acknowledged that money will play a role in his free-agent decision, he suggested that other factors will come into play as well, saying: "Money's important, sure, but I want to be in the right situation. I don't know what it looks like for me now, but I'm happy."
In addition to Sweat, the Eagles have several other key players set to hit free agency as well, including linebacker Zack Baun, defensive tackle Milton Williams and guard Mekhi Becton.
The Eagles may be able to keep some of those players, but re-signing all of them would be a challenge given the amount of high-end talent on the roster.
Sweat may have priced the Eagles out with his Super Bowl performance. If that is the case, he went out on the highest note possible.
Video: Saquon Barkley Showcases Custom '26' Chain After Eagles' Super Bowl Win
Feb 10, 2025
Football: Super Bowl LIX: Philadelphia Eagles Saquon Barkley (26) in action, victorious with the Vince Lombardi trophy vs Kansas City Chiefs at Caesar's Superdome.
New Orleans, LA 2/9/2025
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164676 TK1)
Following the Philadelphia Eagles' 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX, running back Saquon Barkley celebrated by showcasing a brand-new custom chain featuring his jersey number, 26.
The newly 29-year-old, who celebrated his birthday on Sunday, has been wearing No. 26 since his rookie season with the New York Giants—now cementing it in history after donning it in a Super Bowl victory.
Barkley, who joined the Eagles in the offseason, played a pivotal role in their championship run, despite rushing for 57 yards with zero touchdowns.
He finished the regular season with the No. 1 most yards in the league with 2,005 in addition to 13 touchdowns on 345 carries.
In addition to his standout season, Barkley capped it off by surpassing Terrell Davis' all-time records for most rushing yards (2,504) and scrimmage yards (2,857) in a single regular and postseason.
Needing just 30 rushing yards to break the record, he successfully reached the mark in the first half.
"It's cool," Barkley said about breaking the record, per Pro Football Talks Myles Simmons. "To be honest, the most important thing was winning the Super Bowl, because if we didn't win the Super Bowl today, all those accolades and all those yards wouldn't mean anything. So, it's cool. I don't want to downplay it because I couldn't do it without the boys up front and I know how much that means to them."
Barkley's chain is not the only thing special—according to left tackle Jordan Mailata, Barkley himself deserves that title as well.
"There's a saying 'special players make special plays,'" Mailata said, per Simmons. "I think his work ethic is — there's no one like it. There's nothing I can compare to the way he works. The mental and physical side that he brings to an offense — he's not just a physical, powerful running back, he's a smart, patient running back. The communication that he's able to have between offensive coordinator, QB to offensive line to wide receivers and tight ends — we're all involved in the running game."
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Eagles have the best odds in the league to return to the Super Bowl next season at +600 odds. Perhaps Barkley will get the chance to rep his No. 26 in back-to-back Super Bowl appearances.
Eagles' Win vs. Chiefs Sets Super Bowl Record with 126m Viewers, Most in NFL History
Feb 10, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX over the Kansas City Chiefs in front of a record number of viewers.
The Super Bowl set an all-time record with a projected average audience of 126 million viewers on Sunday night, according to Fox Sports PR.
The network reported a peak audience of 135.7 million viewers in the second quarter of the Eagles' 40-22 win.
The Super Bowl also drew in record-high streaming viewership, including 13.6 million viewers watching on Tubi, according to Fox Sports.
By the time viewership reportedly peaked on Sunday, the result of the Super Bowl was already all but decided. The Eagles pulled out to a 24-0 lead through two quarters, and were leading by 34 points before the Chiefs finally scored late in the third quarter.
Struggles against the Eagles' defense didn't stop the Chiefs from making history. Kansas City's appearances in the last three Super Bowls reportedly coincided with three separate viewership records.
The Eagles and Chiefs' last matchup in Super Bowl LVII attracted an average of 115.1 million viewers to Fox Sports broadcasts in February 2023, according to Nielson and ESPN. That stood, at the time, as the most-watched U.S.-based telecast in history, per ESPN.
The Chiefs' matchup with the San Francisco 49ers in last year's Super Bowl LVIII set another record with 123.4 million average viewers across platforms including CBS and Paramount+, according to Nielsen and the NFL.
Now the record has been reportedly broken for a third straight year.
Prior to the Chiefs' run, the Super Bowl viewership record had been set in 2015 by the average of 114.4 million people watching Tom Brady and the New England Patriots defeat the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX, per ESPN.
NBC has the rights to three upcoming Super Bowls, including Super Bowl LX. The championship game for the 2025 season is set to take place in the San Francisco 49ers' Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California next February.
Eagles Schedule 2025: Potential Opponents for NFL Opening Night After Super Bowl Win
Feb 10, 2025
Football: Super Bowl LIX: Philadelphia Eagles Jalen Hurts (1) victorious with the Vince Lombardi trophy following victory vs Kansas City Chiefs at Caesar's Superdome.
New Orleans, LA 2/9/2025
CREDIT: Erick W. Rasco (Photo by Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)
(Set Number: X164676 TK1)
The Philadelphia Eagles are celebrating the team's Super Bowl 59 victory, but it's never too early to take a look at the 2025 season.
The opponent that the Eagles will play to start their title defense isn't official just yet. They can face a variety of teams at home including the Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys, Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders (h/t NFL.com's Kevin Patra).
Here's the full list of eligible opponents that Philadelphia can matchup with to kick off its 2025 campaign.
Eagles' Potential 2025 Week 1 Opponents
Chicago Bears
Dallas Cowboys
Denver Broncos
Detroit Lions
Las Vegas Raiders
Los Angeles Rams
New York Giants
Washington Commanders
This article will be updated soon to provide more information and analysis.
Chris Long: Eagles' Jalen Hurts Said 'It's Already Been Written' After NFC Title Game
Feb 10, 2025
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 10: Quarterback Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles, the MVP of Super Bowl LIX, holds both the MVP and Vince Lombardi trophies during a press conference at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on February 10, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in the Caesars Superdome on Sunday night. (Photo by Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
Jalen Hurts earned himself Super Bowl MVP honors for his excellent performance against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, as the Philadelphia Eagles rolled to a 40-22 blowout victory.
And Hurts saw it all coming.
Former NFL player Chris Long said on his Green Light with Chris Long podcast (a production of Yote House Media) that he briefly spoke to Hurts after the NFC Championship Game two weeks ago, and the veteran quarterback was the picture of confidence:
“It’s already been written,” Jalen Hurts to Chris after the NFC Championship game.
Much of the discourse following the Super Bowl victory will be the absolutely dominant performance of the defense, which sacked Patrick Mahomes six times, secured three turnovers and pitched a first-half shutout. Fair enough—it was pure bully ball, flummoxing the most talented quarterback in the sport.
But Hurts was fantastic as well, responding to the Chiefs' decision to load up the box and stop running back Saquon Barkley by finishing 17-of-22 through the air for 221 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, taking two sacks. And he was fantastic as a runner, rushing for 72 yards and a score.
There was a lot of talk about the limitations of Hurts and the passing game this year, and whether he could lead the team to a victory if the running game was slowed. Those questions have been forever put to bed.
A primary reason to strike while the iron is hot and win a championship in the moment is based on the fact that no NFL team is the same the following season.…
Video: Jalen Hurts Celebrates at Disney World After Eagles' Super Bowl Win
Feb 10, 2025
Jalen Hurts is exactly where he should be after winning Super Bowl 59 – he is at Disney World.
Following the Philadelphia Eagles' dominant 40-22 win over the back-to-back champion Kansas City Chiefs, Hurts topped it off by starring in the iconic Disney World commercial, telling viewers that after winning the Super Bowl, he's "going to Disney World"—and he did just that.
Hurts jetted down to Orlando to celebrate his victory alongside Mickey Mouse at the "Happiest Place on Earth," capping off his Super Bowl performance—221 yards, two touchdowns, and a rushing score—with a parade down Main Street, U.S.A.
The Super Bowl MVP led the crowd in an "E-A-G-L-E-S" chant, and they responded with "M-V-P" chants in return.
He also took a ride on the Tron Lightcycle/Run, a new addition to Magic Kingdom that opened in 2023.
Hurts led the Philadelphia Eagles to their second Super Bowl victory in franchise history, following their first championship in 2017 over Tom Brady and the New England Patriots under former quarterback Nick Foles.
With a day of celebration in Orlando underway, Hurts kicked off the first of many festivities, as Philadelphia prepares for a week of events. The team's championship parade is set for Feb. 14 in Philadelphia.
