“I respect this grind, I respect the process, and I respect what it takes to be great.” –Jalen Hurts just did the unthinkable: He outdueled Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX. Hurts racked up 221 total yards, three TDs, and a shiny MVP trophy… only to get the NFL equivalent of a participation ribbon from Ryan Fitzpatrick—the man who played for nine teams and once dubbed himself the “Amish Rifle”.

The retired QB-turned-analyst left Hurts out of his top-five QBs list, sparking a debate hotter than a Philly cheesesteak fresh off the griddle. Let’s unpack this drama like it’s a fourth-quarter Hail Mary.

Fitzmagic’s cold take: ‘System QB’ or Just Fitz being Fitz?

When asked if Hurts belongs in the Mahomes-Allen-Burrow-Lamar tier, Fitz hedged like The Office’s Michael Scott at a corporate meeting: “Oh, Rich, you want to get me in trouble? I don’t wish to. It’s such a sensitive subject… I think in order to be a top-tier QB, you’ve got to be dropped into any system and still dominate. Jalen’s in a system that matches his skill set—much like Tua and Brock Purdy.”

Fitzpatrick lumped Hurts with Tua Tagovailoa and Purdy, claiming their success is ‘highlighted‘ by their schemes. But let’s get real: Every elite QB thrives in a tailored system. Mahomes has Andy Reid’s wizardry. Burrow has Zac Taylor’s quick-strike offense. Hurts? He’s got The Brotherhood—a Philly squad built to maximize his dual-threat genius.

Compare the 2024 stats: Hurts posted 3,858 passing yards, 23 TDs, 605 rushing yards, and 15 rushing TDs. Purdy finished with 3,864 passing yards, 20 TDs, 323 rushing yards, and 5 rushing TDs, while Tua managed 2,867 passing yards, 19 TDs, 154 rushing yards, and 2 rushing TDs.

But Fitzpatrick doubled down, tossing Hurts a backhanded bouquet: “He played his best in the biggest moments… I don’t want it to come off as a slight.” Too late, Fitz. Philly’s already sharpening its pitchforks. When ESPN’s Rich Eisen pointed out Hurts’s Mahomes-adjacent resume, Fitzpatrick waved it off like a bad halftime show. But Eagles CEO Jeffrey Lurie ain’t having it. After the Super Bowl, Lurie gushed: “I knew he’d play great…”

Translation: Hurts isn’t just a system QB—he’s the system. And that system just dropped 40 points on Mahomes. Hurts isn’t just a rusher—he’s a closer. His Super Bowl TD pass to DeVonta Smith, a 46-yard dagger, was Top Gun: Maverick-level precision. Meanwhile, Fitzpatrick’s critique feels as outdated as his Harvard playbook.

Lurie’s love letter: “He’s the beginning and the end”

While Fitzpatrick nitpicks, Lurie’s ready to build Hurts a statue. After the Super Bowl, the Eagles CEO raved: “You’ve got to be able to do both [pass and run]. Jalen’s a great thrower, quick decision-maker… He has the clutch gene.” Let’s crunch stats like NerdWallet on caffeine. In his first four seasons as a starter, Hurts has 45 regular-season wins, just four fewer than Mahomes’s 49 in the same timeframe.

Eagles CEO further added “He’s 26, clutch, and knows what correlates with winning. We’ve got the quarterback.” He’s led the Eagles to two Super Bowl trips with a 1-1 record, and his 4,463 rushing yards make him the most prolific rushing QB in NFL history through four years. Teammates agree. Safety Sydney Brown called Hurts’s pre-game speech ‘unbelievable,’ adding, “There’s a reason he won MVP—he’s the best in the world.” Even Hurts’s dad, Averion, who’s cried exactly twice in his life (Jalen’s college debut and the Super Bowl win), said: “It’s a blessing because of how hard he works.”

Translation: Hurts is a system QB. Never mind that he just dragged the Eagles to their second Super Bowl in three years with a 40-22 blowout win or that his 15 rushing TDs in 2024 made him look like Rocky in cleats. Fitz’s logic? If your offense is tailored to you, like Lamar’s legs or Mahomes’s backyard magic, you’re not truly elite. Tell that to Eagles GM Howie Roseman, who’s building dynasties like Tony Stark builds suits.

So, Fitzpatrick can keep his list. Philly’s got their QB—and a lock screen photo of Hurts walking off the 2023 Super Bowl loss as motivation. As Hurts himself said: “10% of life is what happens to you; 90% is how you respond.” Mic drop.