Cris Collinsworth pitches Jalen Hurts for NFL MVP

On a night where Saquon Barkley fully immersed himself into the NFL MVP conversation, Cris Collinsworth said don’t sleep on Jalen Hurts.

Barkley recorded more than 300 yards from scrimmage as he helped lead the Philadelphia Eagles past the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football. The historic performance put Barkley toward the top of an MVP conversation that also features quarterbacks Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen. But near the end of the Sunday Night Football broadcast on NBC, Collinsworth had Hurts on his mind.

Late in the fourth quarter of Philly’s win over the Rams, play-by-play voice Mike Tirico noted having the MVP conversation in November might be fun for morning debate shows, but added there’s still too much football left to declare a winner. Collinsworth, however, seemed more willing to have the conversation.

“When you get two of those MVP candidates on the same team…And now, I think that you have to think the same way with the Philadelphia Eagles. With what we’ve been able to see tonight out of Jalen Hurts.” – Cris Collinsworth pic.twitter.com/YyDyzZZG3S

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 25, 2024

“But when you get two of those MVP candidates on the same team,” Collinsworth chimed in. “When you’ve got Lamar and you get Derrick Henry on the same team. And now, I think that you have to think the same way with the Philadelphia Eagles. With what we’ve been able to see tonight out of Jalen Hurts the way he’s controlling and not making mistakes out there. Saquon, this offensive line. I don’t know who we’re giving game balls tonight, but we can pass them around here to the Eagles.”

On the night that Barkley recorded more than 300 yards from scrimmage, scored two touchdowns and set the franchise rushing record, Collinsworth is talking about Hurts being in the MVP conversation?

“Give ’em all to Saquon,” Tirico aptly added.

Hurts is having a nice season, but even Collinsworth basically described him as being a game manager this year while trying to put the quarterback into the MVP conversation. Sure, his 11 rushing touchdowns are gaudy. But at least eight of those have been helped by the “tush push.” Which means those are eight touchdowns that probably could have been added to Barkley’s total. So Hurts might not end up taking MVP votes from Barkley, but he is taking touchdowns from the Eagles running back.

[Sunday Night Football]