Ninth?
There’s something profoundly absurd about a Super Bowl MVP being ranked ninth among his peers. Yet that’s exactly where Jalen Hurts finds himself in ESPN’s latest quarterback rankings — a placement that highlights one of the most confounding evaluation puzzles in modern football. Despite hoisting the Lombardi Trophy and earning the game’s most prestigious individual honor just months ago, Hurts remains trapped in a cycle of skepticism that seems impervious to his actual accomplishments.
The ranking itself tells a story of cognitive dissonance within NFL circles. While executives, coaches, and scouts acknowledge that Hurts “plays big in big moments” and possesses elite accuracy — ranking first in completion percentage over expected — they simultaneously place him behind players who haven’t sniffed championship success. The contradiction is stark: a quarterback who delivered under the ultimate pressure somehow ranks below others who’ve never faced that crucible.
This isn’t merely about statistics or style preferences. It represents a fundamental disconnect between what the NFL claims to value and how it actually evaluates talent. In a league obsessed with winning championships, the reigning champion at the most important position struggles for basic recognition among his contemporaries. The irony becomes even more pronounced when considering that Hurts achieved his championship while operating in the league’s most run-heavy offense, completing just 448 pass attempts compared to Philadelphia’s NFL-leading 621 rushing attempts.
The efficiency argument only strengthens Hurts’ case. When he does throw, he’s devastatingly accurate, completing passes at a rate that exceeds expectations by a margin no other quarterback matches. His four consecutive seasons with double-digit rushing touchdowns represent a sustained level of dual-threat production unprecedented in NFL history. Yet these remarkable achievements are somehow viewed through a lens of limitation rather than excellence.
Perhaps most telling is the variance in how evaluators view Hurts, with votes ranging from sixth to completely unranked. This split reflects an evaluation community struggling to reconcile traditional quarterback metrics with modern football realities. While some recognize his unique value proposition, others remain anchored to outdated paradigms that fail to capture his comprehensive impact on winning football games.
The “system quarterback” narrative that follows Hurts represents one of the most intellectually dishonest criticisms in sports. Every successful quarterback operates within a system designed to maximize their strengths — that’s the fundamental purpose of offensive coordination. When Aaron Rodgers thrived in Green Bay’s structure or when Tom Brady succeeded within New England’s framework, their intelligence and adaptability were celebrated. When Hurts excels in Philadelphia’s design, it’s somehow diminished as a product of circumstances rather than skill.
This selective application of criticism becomes more egregious when considering the complexity of what Hurts actually does. Managing an offense that seamlessly integrates power running concepts with precision passing requires a quarterback who can process multiple levels of decision-making while maintaining the physical tools to execute both phases. The famous “tush push” isn’t just a gimmicky play — it’s a strategic weapon that requires perfect timing, body control, and an understanding of leverage that most quarterbacks simply don’t possess.
The timing of these rankings, coming after Hurts’ championship run, exposes the stubborn nature of the disrespect he faces. This isn’t about potential or projection — it’s about actual performance at the highest level. When the pressure was at its peak and the stakes couldn’t have been higher, Hurts delivered a masterpiece against Kansas City’s defense, threading passes into impossibly tight windows while maintaining the rushing threat that kept Philadelphia’s offense unpredictable.
What makes the continued skepticism particularly puzzling is how it ignores the trajectory of Hurts’ development. The interception concerns that plagued his 2023 campaign were notably addressed in 2024, demonstrating his capacity for growth and adaptation. The reduction in turnovers wasn’t accidental — it reflected a more mature understanding of risk management and defensive recognition. Yet even this clear improvement seems insufficient to move the needle among evaluators determined to view him through a predetermined lens.
The double standard becomes even more apparent when comparing how other quarterbacks’ careers are contextualized. Rookie sensation Jayden Daniels earns top-five consideration based largely on potential and a strong debut season, while Hurts’ sustained excellence over multiple years — culminating in championship success — somehow merits ninth-place status. The logic is internally inconsistent and reveals evaluation criteria that seem to shift based on the player being assessed.
This persistent undervaluation carries implications beyond individual recognition. It reflects broader resistance within NFL communities to acknowledge evolution at the quarterback position. As the league increasingly emphasizes mobility and dual-threat capabilities, evaluation frameworks remain stubbornly attached to traditional pocket-passing metrics that inadequately measure modern quarterback effectiveness. Hurts becomes a victim of this analytical lag, excelling in areas that aren’t properly weighted in conventional assessment models.
The most damning aspect of this continued disrespect is how it undermines the meritocracy that professional sports supposedly represent. If winning a Super Bowl while earning MVP honors doesn’t establish credibility, what threshold must be crossed? The implicit message suggests that Hurts’ achievements are somehow asterisked — qualified by circumstances that wouldn’t be applied to quarterbacks who fit more traditional molds.
Moving forward, Hurts faces the peculiar challenge of defending a championship while simultaneously defending his standing among his peers. The burden of proof seems perpetually shifted onto his shoulders, requiring him to re-establish credentials that should be self-evident. It’s a dynamic that speaks to deeper issues within football evaluation culture, where certain players must continuously justify their success while others receive the benefit of the doubt without comparable achievements.
The ultimate irony remains that the ninth-ranked quarterback in these "influential" rankings happens to be the defending Super Bowl MVP. That contradiction alone encapsulates everything wrong with how Jalen Hurts continues to be perceived — despite mounting evidence of his elite capabilities. Until evaluation standards become more consistent and comprehensive, Hurts will likely continue facing the strange burden of being underrated despite being undeniably successful.