Jalen Hurts has made his ascent to the top of the NFL quarterback rankings by being a dual-threat under center, and showed the world why with his performance in Super Bowl 2023.
Hurts showed off the arm early with his on-target passes that got the offense going in the first half, and just when the Chiefs began to respect his throws, he attacked them with his legs. He pulled down the ball and chose to run when protections broke down, and there were also designed runs that allowed Hurts to get into the open field.
Jalen Hurts Sets Super Bowl Record For Most Rushing Yards By QB
He was a huge reason for his team’s success during the first half of play, and his performance helped break a Super Bowl record with plenty of time to spare.
There haven’t been a whole lot of running quarterbacks who have led their teams to Super Bowl appearances, and even fewer who have won the games on the back of their scrambling ability. In fact, the previous record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a Super Bowl was Steve McNair, who ran for 64 yards when the Titans played against the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Hurts Holds The Record, But For How Long?
It took Hurts ____ to break it. The big scramble came in the second quarter, just moments after he coughed up a ball that resulted in a defensive touchdown for the Chiefs. He put his troubles behind him and the Eagles coaching staff instilled trust, and they called his number for a designed run up the left side. The scramble resulted in a 28-yard scamper that ended in the red zone, setting up a touchdown that gave Philadelphia a 21-14 lead in the middle of the second quarter. The touchdown was also a scramble by Hurts.
McNair’s record stood for 23 long years, which is somewhat surprising given the emergence of the running quarterback in the NFL. But the Super Bowl has been dominated by guys like Tom Brady and Payton and Eli Manning, guys who don’t exactly count on the use of their legs to win football games. Hurts’ record may not last as long, as more and more teams are integrating the dual-threat attack, and are becoming more successful because of it.
