I relate to Jalen Hurts. Now, you might be thinking that is the craziest statement ever uttered, especially if you know me personally. I am not a 6′1″ quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles. I cannot throw a football 68 yards or deadlift a whopping 500 pounds. I was not drafted in the second round of the NFL draft, and I did not play for the Alabama Crimson Tide before that. Rather, I am a 5’1” first-year at the University of Pittsburgh who was born with a severe lack of athletic abilities. Although Jalen and I — and yes, we’re on a first name basis — are more different than alike, I still relate to him. Here’s why.  

If you’re an Eagles fan, like me, you are aware that although our 14-3 regular season record looks amazing on paper, it took a lot of perseverance to get there. With a slow regular season start and two early losses to the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, it wasn’t looking too good for the Birds. With head coach Nick Sirianni rocking a new buzz cut and the Eagles’ newest addition — running back Saquon Barkley — breaking records left and right, the Eagles finally found their rhythm. The Birds went on a 10-game winning streak, looking absolutely unstoppable as they defeated each of their opponents. The Birds’ winning streak came crashing down on Dec. 22 with a loss to the Washington Commanders. The team’s loss was mainly due to Hurts’ early injury. Hurts suffered a concussion in the first quarter of the game, leaving the team in the hands of the backup quarterback and Pitt alum Kenny Pickett. Although Pickett put up a good effort, the Eagles lost, and Hurts went on to miss the final two games of the regular season.  

After three brutal weeks, Hurts was finally cleared from concussion protocol and was ready to start in the Eagles’ first playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. It was obvious that Hurts was rusty after his performance in the game, even though the Birds were able to pull off a win. Hurts only tallied 131 passing yards, 36 rushing yards and an entire second quarter without a complete pass. A rusty quarterback is not something the fans want to see in the postseason, but hopefully Hurts can gain some confidence back. Watching Hurts struggle on the field hit a little too close to home and is why I relate to him.  

After a great first semester at Pitt, I was ready for a break. I spent my break hanging out with family and friends, traveling to Nashville and cherishing not having any schoolwork. As break started to come to an end, I was sad to have to leave my family again but excited to get back on campus for spring semester. Two days before I had a bus to catch back to Pittsburgh, I felt a tickle in my throat. The pestering tickle turned into a cough which eventually turned into a sore throat. My dreams of starting 2025 and the spring semester in the absolute best way were shattered. The day before I had to get on the bus, I woke up with the highest fever I’ve ever had. I was immediately thrown into the car and taken to urgent care. After waiting for an hour for my test results, the doctor shared that I had the flu and wouldn’t be able to go back to campus until the weekend.  

With the flu, I would not be getting back on the bus to campus. Instead, I would be spending an entire week on the couch, trying to get better. Sitting at home, instead of in my dorm, felt weird. I oddly felt like how Jalen Hurts must’ve felt in concussion protocol. He was missing games, and I was missing my first classes of the semester. Just as Hurts must’ve watched his team gear up, I thought of my friends bundling up in Pittsburgh to face not only their first classes but also the frigid weather. Being out for the count is not an easy feeling.  

I eventually started to feel better and drove up to Pittsburgh on the 12th, the day of the Eagles’ first game in the playoffs. Although I spent three months getting used to dorm life and college life, being back still felt a little strange. I was rusty and still am. I still have to get used to dorm living and the dining hall again. I have to get used to my brand-new schedule and all the new classes that I am already behind in. I have to get used to the below-freezing temperatures and climbing up Cardiac Hill.  

With time, I will get back into the swing of things and hopefully Jalen Hurts will too. In this new year, I am no longer going to strive for perfection but rather give myself the grace to take my time. I am learning that it’s okay to allow yourself to not feel fully settled right away. Although I’ve already survived a semester of college, it’s OK to still struggle and feel out of place. When this feeling of imposter syndrome begins to take over, I am going to aim to not panic if I feel like I’m not getting into a rhythm right away. I am going to give myself the time to learn and grow as a student, writer and Eagles fan. In the meantime, I will be praying that Jalen Hurts does the same, and he gets to a point where he can lead the Birds to another Super Bowl. Fly Eagles Fly.