Jalen Hurts knows that more is to come. 

In many ways, it is his mantra. The quarterback is always trying, and mining, to improve his game. Recently, he pulled back the curtain as to why he is never satisfied. And to be expected, that desire to always be better is part of the thrill of playing the game of football in the first place. 

“Everybody aspires to be the best and works to be the best, but ultimately you have to find some separation,” Hurts said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “And that’s the thrill. There’s a thrill in not being satisfied and there’s a thrill in being on this journey, and I have embraced that. I love this game and I know my purpose within this game. I truly just want to be intentional. … So every day I just try to be the best that I can be and that is not based off of external factors. Those things don’t matter. You just try and control what you can.”

Coming into the NFL, reporters and analysts questioned Hurts' ability to be a good pocket passer. 

He ended any discussion that he couldn't be an effective quarterback at the NFL level in the 2022 season when he carried the Eagles to a Super Bowl appearance and played a historic game in the team's most important moment. 

Hurts was spectacular in the Super Bowl, throwing for 304 yards and one TD with 70 yards rushing and three scores. But he also lost a fumble that was returned for a TD in a 38-35 loss to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Walking away from that game has inspired Hurts. And in April, the Eagles rewarded Hurts with a $255 million, five-year contract extension that was the richest in NFL history until Lamar Jackson surpassed it two weeks later.

But the money isn't enough for Hurts. He knows he has to be better. But, Hurts isn't ready to tell the world just exactly what he's been working on during the offseason. 

“I put a lot of work in. I invest a ton into this and always have, and I just want to continue to quantify my work,” he said when asked about it. “That’s been something that I’ve been able to do since I’ve been in college. So that’s always my goal. Find those weaknesses and turn them into your strengths. And then if you do have a strength, boost it and make it a touch stronger.”

That is a scary sight — a version of Hurts that is already better than the near-Super Bowl-winning version of himself. The rest of the league should be on notice.

Eagles: With QB Jalen Hurts, his contract extension wasn’t about the money

The money is nice for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, but he’s thinking championships.

Feature image via Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports.