Jalen Hurts Reveals Why Playing the Titans in Tennessee Was an Emotional Experience

Nairavoice | Sep 25, 2026 1h ago 199 0 3 min read

Jalen Hurts Reveals Why Playing the Titans in Tennessee Was an Emotional Experience

The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts, has opened up about his reason for being emotional ahead of their game against the Tennessee Titans last week. His experience shows a rather human side of a player who traditionally speaks plainly in press conferences.

During his weekly chat with the Eagles beat writers after practice, Hurts shared the emotional events surrounding the team’s arrival at Nissan Stadium in Nashville on Sunday. His report

NFL Legend Adds Twist to Jalen Hurts Game Against the Titans

c942831067a96c79c6c897f28b68b018 Jalen Hurts Reveals Why Playing the Titans in Tennessee Was an Emotional Experience

Hurts became emotional after seeing a large wallpaper of the late Steve McNair ahead of last week’s game against the Titans. His response reportedly stems from his long-time connection with the late Titans star.

“Steve McNair is the only one that I’ve truly looked up to and watched and been enamored by—and I never got to meet him. … He was kinda before his time.”

#Eagles QB Jalen Hurts said it was emotional playing the Titans in Tennessee last week because he grew up looking up to Steve McNair:
“Steve McNair is the only one that I’ve truly looked up to and watched and been enamored by—and I never got to meet him. … He was kinda before… https://t.co/dQUBcYQfAb pic.twitter.com/zjwIoglljB
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 25, 2026

McNair, the third pick in the 1995 draft, spent the first 11 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Oilers-Titans franchise. He spent nine of those years with the Titans. His career saw him register over 30,000 yards, five playoff appearances with different teams, and one Super Bowl outing. McNair also made three Pro Bowls and, in 2003, became the first African American quarterback named NFL MVP.

The Titans legend was only 36 when he died in 2009, only two years after he retired following his second season with the Ravens. Reports claim he was murdered in Nashville in a tragic murder-suicide. At the time, Hurts was only 10 years old. But the full implications of McNair’s game and personality became apparent to Hurts as he grew older.

The emotions began when the Eagles team bus pulled up to Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Hurts saw Steve McNair’s image on the exterior wall and connected deeply with the legend. Hurts registered 3,224 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions in 16 games in 2025. This season, he has recorded 467 yards, 5 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions in 2 games.

Hurts said McNair’s unique place in Black quarterback history and the history of Black quarterbacks in Philadelphia had a deeper meaning for Hurts. He had reportedly studied for years about studying the lineage of Eagles’ African-American quarterbacks like Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb, and Michael Vick. Hurts explained that the McNair mural reminded him of why those connections matter.

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The 28-year-old also noted McNair’s chain of influence. As a child, the Eagles’ starter fancied Vince Young, only to later learn that Young himself had admired McNair. The comments came as the Eagles began on-field preparations for their Week 3 game at Soldier Field against the Bears on Monday. For a quarterback widely considered guarded, his answer was unusually personal. Among other things, his expression confirms that some stadiums still carry the memory of the men who played there, and some of those men still shape the next generation.