Two years removed from dropping Super Bowl LVII, Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles got their revenge over Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX.
The Eagles found two gems at the cornerback position during the 2024 NFL draft that became a huge part of their success. Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell proved they could be the secondary leaders of the future. DeJean even recorded his first-ever NFL pick-6 in the Super Bowl.
These two rookies allowed Philadelphia to create some cap space, releasing their top two cornerbacks from two seasons ago, Darius Slay Jr. and James Bradberry, both of whom made the Pro Bowl.
A couple of days before his release, Slay joined the "Pick A Side" podcast to discuss being a Super Bowl champion, among other things. However, when naming the elite quarterbacks in the NFL, the former Detroit Lions took a subtle shot at his former QB, leaving Hurts off his elite list.
"The elite go to the top four guys," Slay said. "That's how I do elites. And like elite for me is a quarterback world is Joe Burrow, [Patrick] Mahomes, Lamar [Jackson] and Josh Allen. [They are] the elites."
— tom stakes (@tomstakes) March 6, 2025He really didn't give a (obscenity) huh? Went on a podcast called "Pick a Side" and picked a side.
No CJ in the Eagles secondary leaders & no Jalen Hurts in the elite QB category. Don't care how much rival fans will cheerlead this, that's expected. HE OUT! pic.twitter.com/nwvYJsiY4R
Hurts may have something to say about not being an elite quarterback. The former Oklahoma Sooners star has led his team to two Super Bowls and has made two Pro Bowls. He also earned Super Bowl LIX MVP after completing 17-of-22 passes for 221 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception while adding another 72 yards and a score on the ground.
The Eagles now have a solid, young defensive core and an elite offense with running back Saquon Barkley locked up for the next two seasons. Barring injury, they should be back in title contention come the 2025 NFL season.
