After a prolonged wait for the arrival of their Super Bowl rings, the Philadelphia Eagles finally received their rings at a private team ceremony last week. With the subtle detail that characterized its design and its diamond adornment, the wait was indeed worth it, as it was met with great delight from fans and players alike. Regardless, the Super Bowl LIX MVP Jalen Hurts, rather than spend another year luxuriating in the ring’s grandeur and glorying in his past achievements, has decided to leave it behind him as he pursues another.
As an NFL player himself and as a part of the Philadelphia Eagles team, Jalen Hurts had the best season of his career last season. While the Vince Lombardi Trophy was a symbol of a historical feat for the Philadelphian outfit; the Pete Rozelle Trophy was of huge significance to Jalen Hurts: a laurel to reward not just his best season, but his progressive journey as an NFL player.
A week ago, the Eagles were presented with their Super Bowl rings: the individual seal of their Super Bowl victory, an emblem of greatness that tells its own tales of their Super Bowl LIX victory. However, Jalen Hurts has refused to don the ring, unlike several of his teammates, insisting everything relating to that February night is as over and done with as the night itself.
“I’ve moved on to the new year,” Hurts said. “It’s as simple as that.”
“I don’t want to have the conversation about the rings that I have from the past nor the one we just received. It’s behind me.”
Jalen Hurts gave more insight into the philosophy that now governs his actions: the ability to reset and dream again, regardless of how great or insignificant a moment or achievement has been.
“I think it’s purely about resetting,” Hurts said. “It’s a new journey. It’s a blank canvas … and regardless, whether you win a championship or lose a championship the next year you have to be able to reset and have the right focus and pursue it with great intensity and great passion and that’s where we are.”
While different players have different reactions to the rings, Hurts emphasized the team maintains a common goal as they head into the new season.
“We just want to continue building that chemistry we have.”
Spending time with the greatest basketballer in history, Michael Jordan, has done him much good as well, helping him develop a chronic penchant for winning. And while the records and abilities of Michael Jordan speak for themselves, his achievement of six NBA championship rings is what makes his career even more phenomenal and sets him apart as an all-time great.
“Being able to build that relationship and have those conversations, those are always helpful,” Hurts said.
Of his ten fingers, only four of them would be bare if Michael Jordan were to don all of his NBA championship rings at once. In comparison to Jordan, Jalen Hurts has five more to go, and basking in the delightfulness of the first is definitely not the way to get more. Whether he chooses to celebrate or not, adding another Super Bowl ring to his collection next season would be ultimately fulfilling.
Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
