02/01/2023
Yes!!
It happens in life more than we think.
Before we succeed, we fail.
And as Jalen Hurts is all the rage some twelve days before the Super Bowl, his failure is what has made him great.
His failure is what has driven him, and it has placed him a step away from the mountain top.
It was January 8th, 2018, and the mayhem continued an hour after Tua Tagovailoa went all 2nd and 26 on the Georgia Bulldogs.
As reporters in the post-game interview room questioned Tua the hero, a stone’s throw away stood Jalen Hurts, quietly dressing in the Bama locker room.
Two hours earlier, Jalen had been benched after a rough first half in the national championship game.
As I approached Jalen, I remained cautious, as I wasn’t sure how he would react to a reporter asking him about his difficult night against the Georgia Bulldogs.
As I gingerly walked toward Jalen, I noticed him smiling.
I asked him why he was so happy after being benched: His smile growing wider, Jalen said, “Because I’m a national champion.”
Less than eight months later, Jalen would lose his starting quarterback spot.
While we witnessed a stoic team player, his former Bama assistant coach Mike Locksley was moved as Jalen finally broke down.
Locksley is quoted in a fabulous story by ESPN’s Ivan Maisel as saying, "I can remember him sitting opposite my desk. That's the first time I had ever seen the kid cry. He was able to verbalize, 'How do I deal with this? I was the guy. I won 20-whatever games and now I'm not the guy. How am I supposed to manage it?'"
Per ESPN, Locksley looked into Jalen’s tearful eyes and said, “I can't tell you how this is going to benefit you. I can't tell you when. I can't tell you how. But going through what you're going through is going to make you a better person, make you a better quarterback, make you a better leader."
Locksley, of course, was right.
Jalen stood strong as Tua's back-up during the 2018 season, and turned into a hero once again when he came off the bench to lead Bama to a win over the Dawgs in the SEC Championship Game.
Jalen Hurts went onto be a star at Oklahoma where he became a Heisman finalist.
He was the 53rd pick of the 2020 NFL Draft.
He was doubted and mocked, told he’d never be a top tier NFL quarterback.
Jalen Hurts is one of the greatest success stories in America, and he can credit his failures for his success.
He was benched at Bama and today is an NFL MVP finalist.
Jalen Hurts is a step away from reaching the mountain top.
If and when he celebrates a Super Bowl win, there’s one thing for certain:
Tears will be flowing again.
Heartfelt tears of joy.
*Picture courtesy Getty Images
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