Eagles' Jalen Hurts: Shoulder still 'a nagging thing' ahead of NFC title game

It sounds like Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts feared the worst when he initially suffered a sprained throwing shoulder at the Chicago Bears in Week 15 on Dec. 18. 

"Going back to that Chicago game, when I got the shoulder [injury], I was grimacing. Tears," Hurts told NBC Sports' Peter King for Monday's "Football Morning in America" column. "Tears that couldn’t come out because it was so cold. It was very painful. It was very bad. I knew it was bad. It was bad. Being able to overcome that challenge in that game, come back to win, coming back to win the No. 1 seed. Those are things as a competitor you just have to challenge yourself to overcome." 

Hurts missed back-to-back games but returned for the regular-season finale against the New York Giants on Jan. 8 and guided the Eagles to a 22-16 victory that clinched the NFC's top playoff seed for Philadelphia. The 24-year-old indicated last week he expected the Giants to target his hurting shoulder in this past Saturday's postseason contest between the division rivals. 

It turned out Hurts had little to worry about. He completed 16 of 24 pass attempts for 154 yards and two touchdowns to go along with 34 rushing yards and an additional score on the ground, as the Eagles cruised to a 38-7 win.

Hurts left little doubt while speaking with King that his shoulder won't be 100% for this coming Sunday's NFC Championship Game between the Eagles and San Francisco 49ers held at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field. 

"Good enough," Hurts responded to a question about the issue. "It’s definitely a nagging thing. But as far as me physically, I just want to continue my recovery process and be ready for the next game." 

"Good enough" may not be good enough for Hurts and company against a menacing 49ers defense that twice intercepted Dak Prescott in Sunday's 19-12 win that booked their upcoming trip to the "City of Brotherly Love."