Jalen Hurts has more than likely dealt with a rollercoaster of emotions this week at the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
On Friday, the former Alabama quarterback’s mother, Pamela, told NFL.com analyst Tom Pelissero that Hurts had been grieving the loss of his maternal grandfather, Otis Dewalt, who died on Jan. 13 after battling dementia.
The funeral was held this past Wednesday, but Hurts, who is representing both Alabama and Oklahoma, chose to stick things out with his teammates at the Senior Bowl.
That doesn’t mean the loss hasn’t weighed on Hurts, however. Nicole Lynn, Hurts’ agent, had this to say to Pelissero:
“Jalen had an incredibly difficult decision to make after finding out his grandpa’s funeral would be during the Wednesday practice of the Senior Bowl. With a heavy heart, Jalen ultimately felt his grandpa would want him to keep his commitment and play in the game, so Jalen decided to play. I would be lying if I said this week has not been extremely difficult for Jalen considering the circumstance, but I admire his strength through it all.”
I can only imagine how difficult it would be to lose a loved one only days before a potentially life-altering event like the Senior Bowl, a stage that comes with a lot of pressure and stress on its own.
If anyone has the ability to withstand all those added emotions, however, it would be Hurts, who has constantly shown an ability to overcome and adapt with a great attitude.
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