Dear Jalen,
After a season full of success, you led the Eagles into the Super Bowl.
You gave Philadelphia the biggest gift of all: a reason to come together and celebrate our city.
I never found myself to be a sports fan before this year. I still don’t necessarily understand the rules (especially that holding call) but that all changed when I met you.
Watching you become a great quarterback, a great leader and a figurehead for all Philadelphians, I learned to love not just you, but also football. The sport became exciting and entertaining.
Even more so than your looks, height, impressive squat, generosity and dedication to the community, it was your leadership that created a team that Philly was so proud of.
You showed what it means to be a role model for the community. You’ve given back and stayed humble.
Two things I value in a potential husband…
The ups and downs of this season gave everyone something to focus on that was bigger than themselves.
For high schoolers, Sunday nights were an opportunity to put our homework aside and spend time with family.
This season brought us closer with our loved ones as we gathered around the TV to watch the Eagles. By loving you, we learned how to love each other.
Whether we won the Super Bowl or not, we came together as a community to fangirl over you.
You’re more than Philly’s quarterback, you’re Philly’s boyfriend.
You’ve set a new standard for men, showing they can be humble, genuine, jacked and well spoken.
You do it all.
Your fashion and style reminded us that beyond the actual game, football offers something for everyone.
Everyone could get involved in the conversation, all because of you.
The Eagles football season became a contemporary peace of conversation for everyone, instead of something only for football lovers.
Philly learned how to celebrate together, but also to feel sorrow together.
Monday, we went to school, to work, to wherever, and together we felt the loss.
It was about more than just football to almost everyone.
It was about community.
The Eagles have always been more than a football team to Philly.
Philly sports fans stand out amongst the rest as some of the most fanatical sports fans. We take pride in what our sports represent and where we come from.
As a high school senior, having not one, not two, but three incredibly successful Philly sports seasons has been an experience like no other.
The constant excuses for celebration, gathering with friends and taking pride in our city has been a highlight of my year.
This Eagles season revived community spirit, and it is all owed to you, Jalen Hurts.
While the Super Bowl may have been stolen from us, we gained something more important than a championship this year: brotherly love.
Love,
Julia