CNN
—
It has been an eventful offseason for Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Last month the 24-year-old signed a five-year extension to his contract, making him the highest-paid player in NFL history on a per-year basis and keeping him with the franchise through 2028.
And on Friday, the star quarterback received his master’s degree in human relations from the University of Oklahoma.
In a tweet posted by the university vice president David Surratt, Hurts – wearing a cap and gown – was warmly applauded by the audience at the Lloyd Noble Center as he received his master’s degree.
Hurts has enjoyed a hugely successful start to the year. He led Philadelphia to the 2023 Super Bowl, falling short against the Kansas City Chiefs in Arizona in February, and finished second in NFL Most Valuable Player voting for the 2023 season, behind Chiefs play-caller Patrick Mahomes.
“Leads his team to a Super Bowl, becomes the highest paid player in NFL history, while finishing his Master’s Degree. I couldn’t be more proud of you, J,” Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn posted on Instagram, alongside a graduation picture of the player.
Hurts spent three years at the University of Alabama, leading the Crimson Tide to consecutive College Football National Championship games in 2017 and 2018 while also earning a bachelor’s degree in communication and information sciences.
He spent his last year of college at the University of Oklahoma after a transfer. Hurts finished second in Heisman Trophy voting, behind Joe Burrow, and was drafted by the Eagles with the 53rd overall pick of the 2020 NFL draft.
The quarterback, who has constructed an all-women support network around him, has previously talked about being inspired by his mother, Pamela. “She went back to school, and she got her master’s to become a counselor,” Hurts told Essence Magazine in April. “That’s a living testimony for me.”