There are many media members and fans alike who have opinions on the reason the Eagles are headed to Super Bowl LVII, but there is one unsung hero who hasn’t been mentioned. At the start of Nick Sirianni’s tenure, the first-year head coach built an incredible staff of coaches that had minimal notoriety.

From offensive coordinator Shane Steichen to defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, the Eagles went young but they also went for people who were masters of their craft. One of those individuals just so happened to have a connection to the team’s QB and would be beneficial to the growth of Jalen Hurts.

When Brian Johnson was hired, the first piece of the news that came out was his connection with the Eagles QB. While the jury was still out on Jalen Hurts, it was interesting to see how much they were investing in the second-year QB. Without starting a full season as of yet, Philadelphia had a game plan on how they were going to maximize the ability of Hurts.

Brian Johnson has been around Jalen Hurts since he was three years old. Once upon a time, Johnson played for Averion Hurts Sr at Baytown Lee High School. The former Utah quarterback had found his way back into the Hurts’ football tree as he would now be responsible for the growth of his former coach’s son.

Eagles changed for the better

For most of the first half last season, Johnson found himself in the coaches box communicating to Hurts and the other offensive staff members. After a rough start at 2-5, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni made a change that would forever change the trajectory of his quarterback. 

Sirianni asked Johnson to come down to the sidelines and that changed everything for the Eagles. They went on a run fueled by the run game that led them to the playoffs, but in that process, Hurts was finding his comfort zone. 

The presence of Johnson has created a comfortable place for the Eagles QB to be himself. Whether it’s a branch of the coaching that he received from his father or another form of it, it’s obvious that he’s benefiting greatly from it. He’s cerebral. And he uses his intellect to beat defenses before they can react. 

Where the Eagles failed with their previous quarterback is where they have excelled with Jalen Hurts. The young passionate coaches that have been placed around him have become an extension of who Jalen Hurts is—a fierce competitor who won’t stop until the job is done.