The confetti had barely been swept off the turf when the doubts rolled back in. Jalen Hurts stood center stage, drenched in glory and Gatorade, holding the Lombardi Trophy aloft—but somehow, that still wasn’t enough for some. Not for rankings, not for critics, not for legacy. As the 2025 NFL season looms, the league’s reigning champion and his doubters are headed for an immediate showdown. And the spotlight? It doesn’t get any hotter than this.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ 2024 season was more than just a championship run—it was a statement. Their 40–22 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX wasn’t just revenge; it was dominance. Jalen Hurts, once doubted and dismissed, became the centerpiece of that triumph, delivering a Super Bowl MVP performance with ruthless efficiency: 17-of-22 for 221 passing yards and two touchdowns, plus 72 rushing yards and another score.

The Birds wrapped their campaign with an 18–3 record, setting a franchise best. Their offense broke postseason records with 145 total points, the most ever. The defense was equally punishing—six sacks, three takeaways, and a first-half shutdown that held Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs scoreless. The punctuation mark? A pick-six by rookie Cooper DeJean on his birthday.

Now, the bar is even higher. The city of Philadelphia expects nothing less than a repeat. And if the latest NFL schedule leak is accurate, the reigning champs won’t get a soft opening. According to Dov Kleiman on X, the Eagles are set to open the 2025 season at home against none other than the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday, September 4.

That’s not just any opener—it’s the renewal of one of football’s oldest and most heated rivalries. The Eagles and Cowboys have battled since 1960, with Dallas holding the historical edge: 74–58 in overall wins and a 3–1 advantage in postseason matchups. But the past few seasons have been more even. From 2020 to 2024, the two teams split their 10 meetings. In 2024, however, the Eagles left no room for interpretation, winning both clashes with room to spare—34–6 in Week 10 and 41–7 in Week 17.

The rivalry even spills into talk radio. In December 2024, a fiery Eagles fan called into 105.3 The Fan and lobbed a sharp-edged “compliment” at Cowboys owner Jerry Jones: “Keep doing the job you’re doing this year.” Jones chuckled at first—until the punchline hit. The Eagles had just won the Super Bowl. The Cowboys? Still waiting for that elusive sixth ring. Or even a championship. Since 1995.

As the 2025 season begins, it all comes down to the quarterbacks. Jalen Hurts remains under Nick Sirianni’s system, while Dak Prescott faces the challenge of adapting to a new head coach.

Jalen Hurts still not among the best despite winning Super Bowl

Even with a Super Bowl ring and MVP honors, Hurts is still battling for elite recognition. In the latest CBS Sports quarterback power rankings, he was slotted at No. 2—trailing rookie phenom Jayden Daniels. Former QB Chase Daniel recently made headlines by excluding Hurts from his list of top-tier QBs altogether.

Bleacher Report’s Brad Gagnon chimed in with a more critical lens, ranking Hurts fifth for the 2025 season behind Joe Burrow, Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson. “He may be far from your typical franchise quarterback, and it’s fair to wonder just how effective he’d be without such a dominant supporting cast,” Gagnon wrote, “but Jalen Hurts has become one of the most uniquely productive offensive players in the sport.”

In other words: he’s good, but some still aren’t ready to call him great. That might be all the motivation Hurts needs.

With the season opener now expected to spotlight the most high-profile rivalry in the NFC—and perhaps the league—he won’t have to wait long to make another statement. The confetti has settled. The questions haven’t. But the answer may be coming soon—under the bright lights of Lincoln Financial Field.