Jalen Hurts has earned his rise to the top of the NFL quarterback rankings by being a double threat under center, and he showed the world why with his performance in Super Bowl 2023.
Hurts showed his arm early with his passes to goal that ignited the offense in the first half, and just as the Chiefs were beginning to respect his passes, he attacked them with his legs. He brought the ball down and opted to run when the guards broke, 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 big reason for his team’s success during the first half of the game, and his performance helped break a Super Bowl record with plenty of time to spare.
There haven’t been many running quarterbacks who have led their teams to Super Bowl appearances, let alone won the games thanks to their wrestling ability. In fact, the previous record for most rushing yards by a quarterback in a Super Bowl was held by Steve McNair, who rushed for 64 yards when the Titans played the Rams in Super Bowl XXXIV.
Hurts holds the record, but for how long?
It took Hurts ____ to break it. The big stir came in the second quarter, 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 confidence, calling his number for a designed run down the left side. The scramble resulted in a 28-yard run that ended in the red zone, setting up a touchdown that gave Philadelphia a 21-14 lead midway through the second quarter. The touchdown was also a Hurts fight.
McNair’s record stood for 23 long years, which is somewhat surprising given the rise of the running quarterback in the NFL. But the Super Bowl has been dominated by guys like Tom Brady, Payton and Eli Manning, guys who aren’t exactly counting on the use of their legs to win football games. Hurts’ track record may not last that long, as more and more teams are integrating the dual threat attack and becoming more successful because of it.
