Jalen Hurts Aims to Make History in Super Bowl LVIX with a Win for the Eagles
Two years ago, former Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Jalen Hurts put on an incredible performance in Super Bowl LVII, nearly leading the Philadelphia Eagles to victory. Despite a near-perfect game, Hurts and the Eagles fell short, losing 38-35 to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Now, in Super Bowl LVIX, Hurts and fellow former Sooner, offensive lineman Lane Johnson, have another shot at history. Once again, they face the Chiefs in the NFL’s biggest game, with Kansas City seeking to secure its third consecutive championship—a feat last accomplished by the Green Bay Packers from 1965 to 1967. Hurts, who made history by being the first former OU quarterback to start a Super Bowl, is now poised to make even more history. If he leads the Eagles to victory on February 9, he will become the first former Oklahoma quarterback to win a Super Bowl as a starter.
This is a milestone that’s long eluded OU quarterbacks. Until running back Joe Mixon threw a touchdown pass for the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl LVI, no former Oklahoma player had ever thrown a touchdown in the big game. For much of the program’s history, Oklahoma employed triple-option offenses like the Split-T and Wishbone, which didn’t translate well to the NFL. It wasn’t until 1999 that the Sooners shifted to a version of the spread or Air Raid offenses, giving rise to more NFL-caliber quarterbacks.
In recent years, Oklahoma has produced notable quarterbacks like Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Jalen Hurts, all of whom were starting NFL quarterbacks in 2024. Additionally, Spencer Rattler and Caleb Williams, who spent time at Oklahoma before transferring, each started NFL games this season. Dillon Gabriel, another former Sooner, could also be drafted in April.
However, no former OU quarterback has ever won a Super Bowl as a starter. While Troy Aikman, who briefly played at Oklahoma before transferring to UCLA, won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys, a win by Hurts, Mayfield, or Murray would make them the first to do so with Oklahoma as their alma mater.
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