Jalen Hurts signs a record contract with the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2020, he was still assuming a completely different team would select him in the draft.

He signed one of the biggest deals in NFL history earlier this week. Jalen Hurts is now one of the league’s top earners thanks to his new mega-contract. Once upon a time, however, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback was “only” selected in the second round of the NFL Draft.

That he was drafted in the second round in 2020 was not surprising at the time. However, according to his own statements, the star quarterback expected to play for a different team.

Hurts: “Thought I would end up somewhere else “

“I actually thought I would end up somewhere else,” Hurts said on the podcast with Jason Kelce. “Pittsburgh, Minnesota or Vegas. Pittsburgh’s first pick was in the second round, so I thought I was going to be a Steeler.”

But things turned out differently, “Then when I got a call during the draft, I thought it was Pittsburgh. Instead, it was the Eagles. I had no idea,” said Hurts, who admitted he had never brought it up in the past.

Jalen Hurts went from having “no idea” he would be drafted by Philly to being the highest-paid player in Eagles history @JasonKelce @Eagles @JalenHurts pic. twitter.com/SjgZFyfSJ6

– New Heights (@newheightshow) April 17, 2023

Steelers opted for wide receiver

However, the Eagles’ decision didn’t come out of nowhere, either. As Hurts disclosed, he even had an interview with “Philly” officials in the wake of the 2020 NFL Draft. “But I didn’t think I was going to be an Eagles player,” Hurts concluded.

By the way, the Steelers chose wide receiver Chase Claypool with their first pick at the time, who was selected 49th – four spots ahead of Jalen Hurts (53) – and has since signed with the Chicago Bears.