Jalen Hurts began 2025 coming off a Super Bowl victory, where he was named MVP for the Philadelphia Eagles. In that 40-22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, he proved he was the best player on the field.
However, the 2025 season fell short of expectations. While Hurts put up decent numbers, 3,224 passing yards, 25 touchdowns, and six interceptions over 16 starts, the franchise struggled from the start, and they got the reality check in the postseason.
Despite entering the playoffs as the third seed, the Eagles were upset at home 23-19 by the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card round. Now, with the pads put away after a quick exit and the offseason in full swing, Hurts is adding a new title to his résumé.
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Back in June 2025, he announced his debut children's book, “Better Than a Touchdown,” on the Today Show. Published by Penguin Random House and illustrated by Nneka Myers, the book is set to be released on March 10.
A recent video on X shows the Texas native in a recording studio narrating the audiobook version with complete focus. The story follows Jalen arrives at school excited for football tryouts, only to find the program has been cut because the practice field was turned into a community garden.
Instead of giving up, Jalen works with his friends and the community to save the team through cooperation and hard work. For anyone who followed Hurts' real-life path from the bench at Alabama to MVP, the story feels more like an autobiography and less like fiction.
"With this book, I'm excited to extend some of my lessons learned throughout my journey to the next generation," he said on the Today Show. "I wouldn't be where I am today if it weren't for the lessons learned, the mentorship, and books just like mine."
Recording the audiobook is just one part of Hurts' busy offseason. Away from football, he runs the Jalen Hurts Foundation, which focuses on helping kids through mentorship and school improvements. This charity work reflects how he is expanding his brand off the field.