Jalen Hurts has had a busy past twelve months. The Eagles QB helped to lead the Birds to the best record in the NFC, an appearance in the Super Bowl where he shined and nearly won it, and today, he just signed a five-year extension that will make him the highest paid player in NFL history by average annual salary.
The Eagles signed the former Oklahoma and Alabama product to an extension that will pay him a staggering $255 million over five years which includes nearly $180 million in guaranteed money. It is also the first time the Eagles have placed a no-trade clause on a player in franchise history, showing Hurts a tremendous amount of trust and respect.
When Patrick Mahomes signed his $500 million deal (a 10-year extension), people thought it was crazy but the alternative of not keeping Mahomes was even crazier. As we sit a few years later and Mahomes has only gotten better and QB money has only gotten bigger, the Chiefs look more and more every day like they got a bargain for their star.
Hurts is phenomenal, but of course he isn’t Patrick Mahomes. Nobody is, quite frankly. But the way the money is trending, every young QB to get paid is going to reset the market. The biggest winners of today’s news are probably Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, who are likely next in line for huge extensions. It will be fascinating to see if they are able to pass Hurts in average annual salary. You have to think for both QBs, this is where the negotiations now start.
For Philly, the pressure is now even more so on Hurts. They are clearly all-in on him being the guy to elevate the team to a championship and are completely financially tied to him. If Hurts can replicate what he did this past season and continue to get better, it will be beyond worth it.