The big question in the NFL Monday is simple: Will Jalen Hurts play Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks?
Certainly the Philadelphia Eagles and their fans are concerned about their quarterback’s health heading into Monday Night Football, as the team has lost two in a row. Yet let’s face it — countless fantasy football managers who relied on Hurts this season are in their playoffs now and need him to be active for the game.
The Eagles star came down with an illness and traveled to Seattle separately from his teammates to avoid spreading his sickness. He was downgraded to questionable, and although reports have surfaced that he will try to play, he might be too sick.
But many fans are not only expecting Hurts to play, they expect him to dominate. And that’s led to a flood of memes on X/Twitter comparing Hurts’ situation to that of Michael Jordan in the 1997 NBA Finals.
In what became known as the “Flu Game,” a very ill Jordan put the cherry on top of his legendary career with a dominating performance in Game 5. Jordan played 44 minutes and scored 38 points, with 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Oh, he hit the game-winning 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Hurts may indeed be inactive Monday night, in which case the Eagles — and desperate fantasy managers — will rely on Marcus Mariota at quarterback.
Or he may play, and perform like you would expect a normal sick person to play. Not very well.
Or Hurts might suit up and put on a dominating performance, a la Jordan. The meme makers are already working overtime with the Jordan comparisons.
Jalen Hurts and AJ Brown tonight: pic.twitter.com/VuakLavCbB
— Sleeper (@SleeperHQ) December 18, 2023
It is fitting that Jalen Hurts was wearing his Jordan gear traveling to Seattle on his own. This could be like the Michael Jordan flu game.
I’m told a bunch of Eagles haven’t seen Jalen yet here in Seattle. They are hoping he can play tonight through his bad illness pic.twitter.com/OZ9qGBGUnk
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) December 18, 2023
Jalen Hurts tonight#FluGame pic.twitter.com/F1Fss9U6n5
— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) December 18, 2023
Jalen Hurts tonight……. pic.twitter.com/5k0pm3irpM
— Streetzathon (@Streetzathon) December 18, 2023
The Jordan flu game was a special time and proformance.
NOW when anybody is sick, it’s expected to be on that level.
It will not be. Jordan did it in the finals. This happens to be a regular season game. Not the same significance or weight. Stop it. pic.twitter.com/cL68rS9A9B
— Thr3e2wenty8 (@Thr3e2wenty8) December 18, 2023
Someone in my fantasy league has jalen hurts starting for tonight so we picked up the other 2 starting qbs (lock, mariota) last night… it’s also playoffs. He’s saying it’s cheating? Do you agree or am I just a scum bag? #FantasyFootball
— tristen (@TristenChambers) December 18, 2023
And of course, someone checked in with a faux “update” from Hurts himself.
Jalen Hurts definitely wants your prayers to play tonight. He definitely sent this message on Facebook. He will definitely text you back when he’s feeling better pic.twitter.com/6TLyCfupaK
— Chris Infante (@Infante54) December 18, 2023
