by The Bond Between Eagles’ Leaders Jalen Hurts and Jason Kelce
When looking at the Philadelphia Eagles franchise over the past few seasons, two names consistently stand out as the driving forces behind the team’s success – quarterback Jalen Hurts and center Jason Kelce. While their roles on the field require close collaboration, their relationship extends far beyond X’s and O’s. Hurts and Kelce have developed a strong bond of mutual respect, trust, and friendship that has helped propel the Eagles offense.
Mutual Respect and Leadership
From the moment Hurts took over as Philadelphia’s starting quarterback in 2020, he found an invaluable mentor and leader in veteran center Jason Kelce. At 34 years old and in his 11th NFL season, Kelce had established himself as the unquestioned voice of the Eagles offensive line. His wealth of experience, football IQ, and relentless work ethic made him the perfect player to show Hurts the ropes.
Kelce was immediately impressed with Hurts’ drive and eagerness to learn. “The thing I love about Jalen is his work ethic. He’s always trying to get better, always trying to improve,” Kelce said after Hurts’ rookie season [2]. As the quarterback, Hurts looked up to Kelce for guidance on reading defenses, making adjustments at the line of scrimmage, and elevating the play of those around him.
For his part, Hurts came to deeply respect and appreciate everything Kelce brought to the team as both a player and leader. “Being around someone like Jason, who’s been in the league for so long, is a blessing,” Hurts said. “He sees things I don’t see and he’s able to help me pick those things up. I’m grateful for his knowledge and experience” [2].
Their relationship went beyond a simple mentor-mentee dynamic. Hurts and Kelce developed a true partnership based on mutual trust and respect. Kelce praised Hurts effusively and was one of his staunchest supporters and defenders both publicly and within the locker room. This dynamic helped Hurts grow into a confident leader in his own right for Philadelphia.
Building a Cohesive Unit
Beyond their personal bond, the connection between Hurts and Kelce is crucial for the Eagles offense to function at its highest level. As the quarterback and center, they are tasked with orchestrating each play before the snap and making split-second adjustments at the line of scrimmage. This requires absolute trust, communication, and cohesion between the two leaders.
“Me and Jalen have a really good relationship as far as communication goes,” Kelce said. “We’re always talking through things before the snap to make sure we’re on the same page with protections, run fits, and where the ball is going” [3]. Being able to instantly interpret each other’s signals, mannerisms, and non-verbal cues allows Hurts and Kelce to seamlessly direct the rest of the offense.
Their tight-knit bond also spreads to the entire offensive line. Kelce takes pride in his ability to get into opposing defenders’ heads and fire up his linemates. But having a quarterback he believes in like Hurts makes that job much easier. “When you have a guy like Jalen behind you that you trust completely, it just makes the whole operation run so smoothly,” Kelce said [3].
This cohesion has been a driving factor in Philadelphia developing one of the NFL’s most physical, punishing ground attacks in recent years. With Kelce and Hurts in lockstep up front, the Eagles offensive line has dominated opposing defenses with their power run schemes. It’s a testament to how their quarterback-center relationship has ripple effects across the entire offense.
Shared Experiences
Interestingly, Hurts and Kelce have more in common than just their roles on the Eagles. Both players followed directly in their older brothers’ footsteps when it came to pursuing athletics at an elite level.
For Hurts, he grew up idolizing his brother Averion, a former running back at the University of Tennessee. Jalen credits Averion with teaching him the game of football from a young age and pushing him to maximize his talents. Like his brother, Hurts became a star dual-threat quarterback in high school and eventually played at the University of Alabama and Oklahoma before reaching the NFL [1].
Similarly, Kelce looked up to his brother Shane, a former NFL center who enjoyed a successful nine-year career. From tagging along to his brother’s practices to mimicking his blocking techniques in the backyard, football was always a big part of Jason’s life growing up. He followed Shane’s path from West Virginia University to becoming an NFL starter, carving out his own impressive career primarily with the Eagles [1].
Having walked in each other’s shoes to a certain degree, Hurts and Kelce found an instant connection through their shared experiences. It allowed them to bond over their competitive journeys and appreciate how much family support shaped them as athletes. Those types of deeper personal ties have undoubtedly strengthened their professional relationship as leaders of the Eagles.
Public Recognition
The bond between Hurts and Kelce has not gone unnoticed beyond the walls of the Eagles facility. Sports analysts, commentators, and fans alike have picked up on their obvious chemistry and highlighted their partnership over the years.
During the 2021 season, as Hurts took a major leap forward in his development, he and Kelce frequently appeared together in postgame interviews exchanging praise. Their palpable respect for one another was on full display [4]. When Kelce announced his retirement after the season, Hurts was quick to thank him on social media for his mentorship and wish him well in his next chapter [4].
Even in Kelce’s retirement, his connection to Hurts lives on. At a recent Eagles charity event, Kelce spoke glowingly about how Hurts has “taken the reins of this team” in his absence and proven himself as a true franchise quarterback [4]. Their bond has become a feel-good storyline for Philadelphia fans excited about the team’s future with Hurts at the helm.
An Ongoing Friendship
While Kelce has since hung up his cleats, ending his illustrious 11-year Eagles career, the foundation he helped build with Hurts will undoubtedly influence the team for seasons to come. Through their time spent together on and off the field, Hurts and Kelce seem to have fostered a genuine friendship that will extend far past their playing days.
Even in retirement, Kelce remains a sounding board and source of guidance for Hurts as he continues growing into one of the NFL’s top dual-threat talents. Their bond shows how strong personal connections between leaders can galvanize an entire franchise. With Hurts now carrying the torch as the face of the Eagles, he’ll look to continue channeling the invaluable leadership lessons learned from his close friend and mentor Jason Kelce. Their partnership helped transform Philadelphia’s offense, and that impact may be felt for many years in the City of Brotherly Love.
In conclusion, while on the surface Jalen Hurts and Jason Kelce simply played quarterback and center roles for the Philadelphia Eagles, their relationship evolved into so much more. Through mutual respect, trust, shared experiences, and a genuine friendship, they became driving forces in the team’s resurgence. The tight bond between these two leaders demonstrates how off-field connections can positively influence on-field success and leave a lasting impact on an organization for seasons to come.
