Philadelphia Eagles Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts is officially adding a new title to his impressive resume: published author. During a recent appearance on Good Morning America, the NFL superstar sat down to discuss his debut children’s book, Better Than a Touchdown.
When asked what inspired him to step off the football field and into the literary world, Hurts took a trip down memory lane to his days browsing the Scholastic Book Fair. He recalled finding a book titled My Brother’s Side that featured two Black kids playing football on the cover. Seeing something he could so closely identify with left a lasting impact on him.
“I had no idea that they were football players, but I knew them as authors,” Hurts said, explaining that he later discovered the book was actually written by NFL legends Tiki and Ronde Barber. That early realization that athletes could also be storytellers stuck with him and ultimately inspired his own philanthropic and creative journeys.
Better Than a Touchdown is a heartwarming story that celebrates perseverance, friendship, and the power of believing in one another. For Hurts, the core of the book is really about the importance of community. The narrative follows a young kid chasing his passion while gathering wisdom and problem-solving skills from the people in his life.
Hurts shared a powerful metaphor to describe the book’s empowering message. “An acorn has everything it already needs within it to be an oak tree,” Hurts explained. “With the right nourishment, you know, right environmental influences, it can be what it’s destined to be.”
During the interview, Hurts even took questions from young fans, including one who asked if there was ever a time he wanted to quit. The star quarterback didn’t shy away from the truth, admitting that he faced a tough period in college where he truly questioned his path.
“I had a lot of adversity in front of me, and I was counted out,” Hurts shared. “I was doubted and broken down and dissected in all these different ways. I just persevered.” He shared that his deep passion for the game ultimately overcame every ounce of doubt and fear, a lesson he hopes to pass on to the kids reading his book. “Without the courage, the perseverance, and the resilience, and the passion, I wouldn’t be here today,” he added.
Better Than a Touchdown is available in bookstores nationwide.
