Jalen Hurts just led the Philadelphia Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance. After a successful collegiate career at Alabama and Oklahoma, Hurts carried the Eagles to a 14-3 regular season record and a historic playoff run. Now with a Super Bowl appearance and a huge contract on his resume, Hurts solidifies himself as a truly elite quarterback in the NFL and one of the best players in the world.
This is the headline that Jalen Hurts would like to have seen on ESPN’s website after his successful 2022-2023 NFL season. But that’s not what happened. Instead, the Eagles’ franchise QB was criticized by talking heads on numerous national media outlets. Whether it was not having a legitimate passing game or benefiting from a “gimmicky” offense, it seems like the NFL media had it out for mobile quarterbacks, almost unwilling to give the man praise.
Whether people like to admit it or not, the rise of the mobile quarterback is real. The days when signal callers were expected to stay in the pocket and rely purely on arm strength and precision are long gone. In today’s NFL, the most successful quarterbacks are often those who can make plays with both their arms and legs. Mobility is no longer just a bonus; it’s become essential to winning at the highest level, a fact that is becoming more evident in college football with players like Utah’s Devon Dampier, who brings a new dimension to his team’s offense.
The shift began with pioneers like Fran Tarkenton and Roger Staubach, who showed that quarterbacks could use their legs to extend plays. Their legacies were carried on by Randall Cunningham and Steve Young, who added a new dimension of athleticism to the position. The true turning point, however, came with Michael Vick in the early 2000s. Vick’s combination of elite speed and arm strength allowed him to dominate as both a runner and a passer, redefining how the position could be played. He wasn’t just scrambling; he was a legitimate running back from the quarterback position.
However, with that being said, the mobile quarterback is not many things. He is not a traditional pocket passer. He is not a guy who can stand tall in the face of pressure and still make pinpoint throws. And he has never won a Super Bowl in a traditional offense. While we can look at players like Aaron Rodgers, who had the pocket presence of a conventional quarterback, he could move and evade pressure, setting the stage for the next generation of quarterbacks.
The true blueprint for the modern mobile quarterback, however, came from Cam Newton. At 6-foot-5 and 245 pounds, Newton’s size and strength made him nearly impossible to stop in short-yardage situations. In 2015, Newton led the Panthers to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance, showcasing his dual-threat abilities with 45 total touchdowns. His ability to function as both a power runner and a passer forced defenses to change how they approached the quarterback position. Then came Lamar Jackson, who in 2019 became the second quarterback in NFL history to rush for over 1,000 yards, while also leading the league in touchdown passes. Jackson’s success proved that you can win MVP and dominate the league even as a run-first quarterback.
The dual-threat quarterback is here to stay. But it is fair to say that the position has not reached its full potential and could improve in many ways. Unlike the previous few quarterbacks who won a championship, mobile quarterbacks haven’t elevated their status to being one of the all-time greats. In 2024, Patrick Mahomes won the Super Bowl and was able to do so by showing his ability to be a true pocket passer while also being able to evade pressure. While it may seem at first somewhat unconventional for the NFL media to ask more from them, it’s not an entirely unjust narrative. The most successful quarterbacks in the NFL, those who have won championships and MVP awards, have all been able to blend mobility with traditional pocket passing.
However, unlike those stars, a mobile quarterback can play for a team where he does not have to be the sole playmaker. The Eagles’ brand of ball was a collective effort, where anyone in their lineup could be the best player on any given night. While it may seem at first somewhat unconventional for the NFL media to ask more from him, it’s not an entirely unjust narrative. When they are locked in, players like Jalen Hurts play some of the most beautiful football in the league and can be nearly impossible to defend. NFL fans just want this level of play on a more consistent level when their team needs them the most. The potential for greatness is still there, and the criticism he faces can catalyze further development. The modern mobile quarterback has the skills, the drive, and the support to become one of the most dominant forces in the NFL. We’ll just have to see if it happens.
