3 moves that got the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl 57

1. The Eagles hit a home run when they drafted Jalen Hurts

The idea of drafting Jalen Hurts with a second-round pick in 2020 made little sense at the time. Philadelphia had already invested a ton into Wentz, who was on pace to win an MVP award before injuring his knee late in the 2017 season, so the best-case scenario of the pick at the time felt like a cheap backup who could start if Wentz missed more time with injuries.

The Eagles did see the talent that Hurts had, however, and ultimately opted to go with him when Wentz’s career progression stalled. The end result saw Wentz traded to the Indianapolis Colts, who thought they could resurrect his career in a reunion with then-head coach Frank Reich, while Philadelphia bridged the gap with Hurts until they could find a suitable long-term plan.

Hurts seized his opportunity and became the team’s long-term answer with strong play in 2021 to guide the Eagles to the playoffs. A strong offseason by Roseman helped Philadelphia mold its offense to Hurts’ strengths, taking advantage of his ability to run by making him a key cog in the league’s top rushing attack and giving him elite weapons to throw the ball on the outside.

The team’s faith in Hurts was rewarded as he delivered an MVP-caliber campaign, throwing for 3,701 yards with 22 touchdowns against just six interceptions while rushing for another 760 yards and 13 more scores. Philadelphia is 16-1 this season in games that Hurts starts, proving that the decision to draft him when Wentz was already on board was a prescient one that played a monstrous role in the Eagles landing where they are today.