Michael Jordan-Jalen Hurts comparison is 'sacrilegious' originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
After beating the New York Giants in the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs, Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni compared quarterback Jalen Hurts to Michael Jordan.
As in six-time NBA Champion, greatest of all-time, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan.
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"To have him out there is likeー I know this is high praise, but to have him out there is like havingー I shouldn't even go thereー it's like having Michael Jordan out there," Sirianni told reporters after the game. "He's your leader. He's your guy."
Keep in mind Hurts had just won a game to reach the NFC championship game. Not the NFC Championship game. It's also his one and only playoff game and win of his career.
It's a ludicrous comparison, and NBC Sports Bay Area's Carlos Ramírez joined Football Night In Chicago to lambast the comparison in a way that would make any Chicagoan proud.
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"I am of the belief that Michael Jeffrey Jordan is the single greatest athlete to ever walk death or this earth ever, ever. Any sport, ever, ever. I don't care," Ramirez said. "And for Nick Sirianni to come out and compare Jalen Hurts to the GOAT, to the greatest to ever do anything on the planet to me is sacrilegious.
"I think Chicago should be in an uproar because and frankly, Jalen Hurts should be upset that his head coach put him in such a situation, such an uncomfortable situation. It's just mind boggling to me."
The comment has relatively flown under the radar in Chicago, perhaps because it's so absurd it doesn't even need to be addressed. There are too many mock drafts to read or listicles about free agents Ryan Poles will give truck loads of cash to that need to be perused.
But Ramírez says he understands what Sirianni was trying to say, but it was the wrong moment.
"He's talking about the intangibles of leadership that Jalen Hurts has, but he's won one playoff game," Ramírez said. "We're talking about a guy who will change a sport, who change a city, who change the entire planet on basketball terms and merch and media and everything, Michael Jordan.
"So I just think it's unfair for Sirianni to put the Superman cape on Jalen Hurts before the biggest game of his career."
We'll see how Hurts handles the pressure Sunday.
