Jalen Hurts Was 'Just Chilling' After Gnarly, Potentially Life-Altering Finger Injury

The only thing that has gone more sideways than the ass end of the Philadelphia Eagles' 2023 NFL season is quarterback Jalen Hurts’ finger.

The Eagles signal caller suffered a nasty injury to the middle finger on his throwing hand which left his tallest digit with what looked like the sort of chicane you'd find on a Formula 1 circuit.

That'll save him a fraction of a second the next time someone cuts him off on the Schuylkill Expressway...

Hurts stayed in the game with that mangled middle finger taped up until the team realized the game — a 27-10 loss to the Giants — was a lost cause and pulled their starters.

This week, Eagles center Jason Kelce and his brother, Travis, talked about Hurts' gruesome injury on their New Heights podcast.

"Jalen got banged up. His finger looked like it was about to snap off and he was walking off all cool, calm, and collected like he always is," Travis Kelce said, per Daily Mail.

Jason chimed in that the digit was "making gang signs."

"Crazy, look at it and he's walking around like nothing is going on," Travis continued. "Said he hasn't ever experienced anything like this injury. He said it popped out. It's crazy and he was just chilling."

Jalen Hurts returned to the game after taping up his crooked middle finger. However, there isn't enough tape in the world to heal the scars caused by moderate finger trauma. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

Jalen Hurts Is Beginning The Long Journey Of Living With A Goofy Crooked Finger

That is wild, especially considering finger trauma is no laughing matter. I should know: I suffered a moderately traumatic finger injury in college.

I went to college in Florida, so naturally, it occurred on the beach volleyball court. It was a co-ed pick-up game with friends that turned disastrous and gave my left pinky finger a permanent chicane. The one girl on the other team who had actual volleyball experience got a ball teed up for her, and then she climbed the ladder and spiked it like it owed her money. I tried to sell out for it (I mean there were chicks watching, you have to) and the ball crunched my finger.

Now, sometimes gloves don't fit right. People are shocked and repulsed by the mangled nature of my little finger. And not that it comes up a whole lot, but I have a hard time doing the Vulcan salute with my left hand.

I know it's traditionally done with the right, but sometimes you want to bust it out with the left. But, alas, it's difficult. Not impossible, just harder than it would normally be.

That crooked digit will always be a reminder of the incident that caused it. I look at my goofy pinky finger and immediately flash back to a sunny day in Central Florida. One shattered by a Wilson volleyball shattering my finger.

Unfortunately, for Jalen Hurts, he'll always be reminded of losing to the Giants in Week 18.

Oof.

I hope Jalen Hurts gets the support he needs because the journey of having a wonky finger is a long, arduous one. One filled with people asking you to show them your messed up finger and asking how it happened.

Follow on X: @Matt_Reigle