For each game he broadcasts during the 2024 NFL season all the way through Super Bowl LIX, FOX Sports lead NFL analyst Tom Brady is awarding his LFG Player of the Game to that one player he sees on the field who makes him say …
“LET’S F***ING GO!!!”
In Super Bowl LIX, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts earned the honor after leading his team to a dominant 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
As he avenged his loss to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, Hurts arguably had the best game of his career to win his first Lombardi Trophy. The dual-threat quarterback completed 17 of 22 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, along with a 119.7 passer rating. He also totaled a team-high 72 rushing yards on 6.5 yards per carry and a rushing touchdown.
Hurts put together a strong wire-to-wire performance. After the Eagles punted the ball on their opening drive, Hurts scored on the “tush push” to give his team a 7-0 lead on its second drive. Hurts’ only hiccup of the game came on the Eagles’ third drive, when he threw an interception while he was getting hit.
But Hurts quickly rebounded after that pick. First, he led the Eagles on a field goal drive. Following a Cooper DeJean pick-six of Patrick Mahomes and a second interception by the Eagles defense, Hurts found A.J. Brown for a 12-yard touchdown pass that gave Philadelphia a 24-0 lead before halftime.
Hurts essentially sealed the win for the Eagles in the third quarter. They kicked a field goal on their first drive of the second half before Hurts threw the dagger, connecting with former Alabama teammate DeVonta Smith on a deep ball for a 46-yard touchdown and a 34-0 lead.
Jalen Hurts connects with DeVonta Smith for a 46-yard TD, extending Eagles’ lead vs. Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX
With that pass, the Eagles’ championship dreams turned into reality. As Hurts spoke with Brady, he reminisced about his journey to get where he ended up on Sunday.
“I just think back to all the hard work, all the effort, all the determination over the years and then carrying that over to this team and Philadelphia, being able to build something special over my tenure here and Coach [Nick Sirianni’s] tenure here as well,” Hurts said. “It all goes back to the work. It’s a team effort.”
The Eagles’ Super Bowl win was a true team effort. Philadelphia’s defense didn’t allow a point for nearly three quarters, sacking Mahomes six times and forcing three turnovers.
Tom Brady’s LFG Player of the Game: Eagles’ Jalen Hurts | Super Bowl LIX on FOX
“I was telling (Eagles owner) Mr. [Jeff] Lurie that defense wins championships,” Hurts said. “They played their ass off today, and it showed.”
Even though the Eagles were one of the best teams in the NFL all season long, Sunday’s game was one of the more surprising results in recent Super Bowl history. Philadelphia closed as a slight underdog ahead of kickoff, while Kansas City sought to become the first team to win three straight Super Bowl titles.
Hurts wasn’t surprised by the outcome, though, even if he still struggled to comprehend that he won a Super Bowl title.
“I think it was a matter of taking it a play at a time,” Hurts told Brady. “The whole thing was focusing, blocking out the noise, ignoring the wind and staying true to what the main thing was. Earlier in the year, we set out to do this and this was the ultimate mission. It looks like we did it. I’m still processing it. You work so hard for something and it comes — you really want to soak it in.”
Of course, Hurts was speaking with someone who knew a thing or two about winning Super Bowls. So, Brady passed along a few words of wisdom.
“It’s going to take a while to process it,” Brady told Hurts. “You’re going to wake up tomorrow morning and you’re going to feel so good. What I want you to feel good about is to not let that jersey out of your sight. I had a few stolen over the years, so keep track of that. It’s going to be memorable down the road. I’m so happy for you. Congratulations to you and your team. You guys played so well all season long. There couldn’t have been a better champion than the Philadelphia Eagles and you led them to victory.”
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As Brady referenced his stolen jersey from Super Bowl LI, Hurts showed more confidence and cool.
“I ain’t letting that happen,” Hurts assured Brady.
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