It’s been several years, but it wasn’t all that long ago that Patriots quarterback Mac Jones and Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts were teammates at Alabama and won a national championship.
While Hurts eventually transferred to Oklahoma, Jones said this week that he picked up plenty from being around Hurts for two seasons with the Crimson Tide.
“Obviously a great player,” Jones said in his Thursday press conference of Hurts. “I’ve been [fortunate] to play with him and I learned a lot from him. Definitely a great quarterback, and I just think back on the times we had. I’m just really proud of him and everything he’s done in the NFL.”
Hurts went through plenty in his time with Alabama, from being replaced at halftime in the 2017 CFP National Championship Game to then the quarterback battle between him and Tua Tagovialoa the next season. But he then finished second to Joe Burrow in Heisman voting at Oklahoma in 2019.
“I think there is a lot of learning lessons. I definitely took a lot of that, loved to see him bounce back and do a great job,” Jones said. “In college, he went through a lot, transferred, and played well everywhere he’s been. It’s just who he is, it’s Jalen Hurts.
“He’s just a great player, great person, and a good friend.”
We’ll see if Hurts or Jones comes out on top in this matchup of former college teammates on Sunday afternoon.
