Every offseason, Peyton Manning does what retired legends do: he ranks quarterbacks, talks football, and unintentionally starts online feuds. The Hall of Famer revealed his top five quarterbacks as if they were gospel at Fanatics Fest 2024. Patrick Mahomes? Check. Joe Burrow? Obviously. Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert, Josh Allen? All present. But one name was noticeably absent: Jalen Hurts, the player who defeated Mahomes 40–22 in the Super Bowl last year. Obviously, the internet did not take it lightly. And neither did Hurts.
Peyton humorously recalled the incident at the Fanatics Fest this year: “I named five guys and Jalen Hurts texted me like 20 minutes later, ‘I didn’t make your list,’ and now Jalen’s mad at me. So, no list today.” It wasn’t a meltdown. No public dispute. The text was a well-considered message from a quarterback who doesn’t talk much but always listens. A one-liner full of ‘I heard you’ sentiments. Peyton also went on to say that he is a quarterback fan, “Look, I’m a quarterback defender, I’m a quarterback fan, I know how hard it is to play, and it’s how I pull hard for quarterbacks, and so, no list this year.” And not to forget, this isn’t just any media personality ignoring Hurts. This man has direct experience with Hurts’ work ethic.
Peyton Manning just said when he ranked his top-5 QBs last year, Jalen Hurts texted him “twenty minutes later.”
“I didn’t make your list?” Hurts asked.
“Now, Jalen is mad at me, Peyton said pic.twitter.com/ZLzWu5oeLK
— Arye Pulli (@AryePulliNFL) June 20, 2025
Hurts and Manning go way back. Hurts was more than just a visitor to the Manning Passing Academy. As a two-time counselor, he learnt from the best in the game and assisted in developing the next generation of quarterbacks. When Peyton spoke about what he saw in the then-rising Eagle, he didn’t mince words. “Jalen came twice, and you definitely just saw what a natural leader he was. Quiet, confidence, just the way he carries himself. You see why people want to follow him,” Manning said on the New Heights Podcast recently.
That’s why this moment stings differently. Being ignored by the media is one thing. But when you’re left off the list by the Hall of Famer who once texted you congrats after winning the Super Bowl, saw you coach rookie quarterbacks, and lauded your leadership… That’s when it hits you personally. Jalen Hurts didn’t become a complete villain. He didn’t post furious memes on Twitter. It was all in a single text message. And Peyton Manning didn’t even try to make a list this year? So, yeah, that text landed successfully. But, Hurts defeated Patrick Mahomes in the previous season’s Super Bowl; still, he is regarded as an honorable mention in offseason polls.
Jalen Hurts keeps getting doubted and keeps making everyone regret it
Chris Simms of NBC positioned Hurts behind Jayden Daniels. He was completely omitted from a list of the Top 11 Philadelphia athletes by local radio. His dual-threat supremacy simply doesn’t seem to matter. But the stats do the talking. Hurts posted a career-high 103.7 passer rating, completed 68.7% of his passes, and threw fewer times because Saquon Barkley rushed for over 2,000 yards. He didn’t disappear; he just adjusted.
And, Hurts dominated the Chiefs for 221 yards on just 22 attempts when Barkley was locked down in the Super Bowl. That’s control. That’s a leader. Hurts continues to get better despite the chaos, with five different offensive coordinators in six years. Kevin Patullo, the new OC, adds experience. Scot Loeffler, the new quarterback coach, offers new insight. And Hurts? Like a veteran getting ready for battle, he is already learning the new language. Once more.
So, if you want to leave him off the list, go ahead. Let analysts act as though his 2024 never happened. But, don’t be shocked when Hurts begins to cross names off when the lights come on and the games begin to count in fall. Peyton’s included.
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