NEW ORLEANS — Jalen Hurts didn’t look like someone who had just won a Super Bowl. Someone who had a masterful performance in leading the Philadelphia Eagles to a dominant 40-22 victory over the back-to-back defending champion Kansas City Chiefs. 

But here he was, moments removed from confetti falling on his face and winning game MVP, his usual calm and collected self. Not too high, not too low. A smirk here and there.

“It’s been a fun ride,” the Eagles’ quarterback said at the postgame press conference. “I’ve embraced every step. I took great pride in never backing down from a challenge. Always turning my negatives into positives. Turning my weaknesses and making them my strengths. It’s taken a great effort to evolve my game over time and just continue to grow and improve.” 

When Hurts references turning negatives into positives, he can cite a few major moments in his career. In college, he led Alabama to the 2016-17 national title game, a loss to Clemson. The following year he was benched midway through the championship in favor of backup Tua Tagovailoa, who led a dramatic comeback victory for the Crimson Tide. Hurts decided to transfer to Oklahoma.

As a pro, he played brilliantly in Super Bowl 57 — 304 yards passing with a score — however, the Eagles came up just short to the Chiefs. 

Except Sunday was different. He became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to lose his first Super Bowl and later win. The others? John Elway, Bob Griese and Len Dawson — all Hall of Famers. 

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who had one of the worst games of his career in Sunday’s Super Bowl, said he knew Hurts would eventually find redemption. 

“I have a lot of respect for Jalen,” Mahomes said postgame. “I said after the last Super Bowl we played that he’ll be back. He was and he got the better of me today. I’m sure we’ll face off again at some point in our careers in a big game like this.”

When asked about the Chiefs quarterback’s comments, Hurts reflected on what he gained from the previous loss. 

“In the end, things come right on time. The last time around, it wasn’t our time. It wasn’t my time. Sometimes you have to accept that you have to wait your turn,” he said. “Dealing with everything that came with the last Super Bowl, you still kind of leave empty because as great of a performance it was, it wasn’t enough to win. I think going through those emotions and processing those things and processing that experience lit a great flame in me and enhanced my desire to win significantly.”