Former NFL MVP drops eye-popping take on Jalen Hurts as Eagles QB makes second Super Bowl

Former NFL MVP Cameron Newton challenged the narrative surrounding Jalen Hurts' success. He pointed to the disparity in quarterback talent between NFL conferences. His comments came as Hurts prepares for his second Super Bowl appearance in three years.

Newton offered this take during ESPN's "First Take" on Thursday. Speaking candidly about conference competition levels, Newton highlighted the concentration of elite QBs in the AFC.

"All of the game-changers are in the AFC," Newton said. "If you put the Philadelphia Eagles or Jalen Hurts in the AFC, would he be able to have gotten to the Super Bowl as many times? When you see Josh Allen versus Lamar Jackson, that's must-see TV. When you see Patrick Mahomes versus Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson or even Joe Burrow, that's must-see TV, right? What's must-see TV in the NFC?"

Meanwhile, Hurts is attempting a rare feat. According to KRQE Sports, only three quarterbacks — Len Dawson, Bob Griese and John Elway — have won a Super Bowl after losing their first start. The last to do so was Elway 27 years ago.

Eagles ground game powers Jalen Hurts

NFL: NFC Championship-Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles - Source: Imagn

While Cam Newton questions conference competitiveness, Jalen Hurts' Philadelphia Eagles have rewritten NFL record books. They tied a playoff record with seven rushing touchdowns in their NFC championship victory over Washington, as reported by The Athletic.

The 2024-25 Eagles have amassed 3,731 rushing yards, surpassing the 1972 Miami Dolphins' mark of 3,535. Philadelphia is three TDs away from breaking its NFL record of 42 rushing scores in a season.

Hurts has already made history by reaching this year's Super Bowl. He ended a streak of 19 consecutive QBs who failed to return after losing their first appearance. Jim Kelly was the last to accomplish this, making four straight trips from 1990-93.

The Eagles' improvement against defensive pressure stands out. The Athletic reported that Hurts posted his highest career EPA versus the blitz (0.25) in 2024. Under new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore, he threw just five interceptions all season — a career low.

This statistical evolution, combined with Philadelphia's ground dominance, presents a counter to Newton's conference-strength argument. Hurts leads an offense featuring Pro Bowl linemen, elite receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith (47 TDs and 7,000+ yards combined) and running back Saquon Barkley's record-setting season.