Jalen Hurts, Will Anderson getting awards at same time

Jalen Hurts, Will Anderson getting awards at same time

A pair of former Alabama football stars will be able to pick up awards at the same banquet in March.

On Wednesday, Maxwell Football Club Director Mark Wolpert announced Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts as the winner of the 64th Bert Bell Professional Player of the Year Award.

Last month, the Maxwell Football Club selected Alabama linebacker Will Anderson Jr. as the winner of the Chuck Bednarik Award. The Maxwell Football Club has presented the Bednarik Award annually since 1995 to college football’s best defensive player.

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The Bert Bell Award was presented for the first time in 1959 and has continued to recognize the Maxwell Football Club’s NFL Player of the Year since.

Hurts became the fourth player with Alabama football roots to win the Bert Bell Award, following Oakland Raiders quarterback Ken Stabler (Foley, Alabama) in 1976, Seattle Seahawks running back Shaun Alexander (Alabama) in 2005 and Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton (Auburn) in 2015.

A first-time Pro Bowl selection and a second-team All-Pro pick, Hurts is in his second season as the Eagles’ starting quarterback and will lead Philadelphia against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game on Sunday afternoon.

During the regular season, Hurts helmed an offense that set franchise victories for points and victories.

The winner of the Bert Bell Award also has been the winner of The Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player Award in the same season 35 times. Hurts is a finalist for the AP NFL MVP Award, along with Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

The 86th Maxwell Football Club National Awards Gala will be held on March 9 at the Mohegan Pennsylvania Resort.

In addition to the awards presented to the two former Alabama standouts, an honor named after a former Crimson Tide star will be presented, with North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye the winner of the 2022 season’s Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.

Other honors set to be given out at the Maxwell banquet are the Maxwell Award to Southern Cal quarterback Caleb Williams, the Brian Westbrook Regional Player of the Year Award to Penn State quarterback Sean Clifford, the George Munger Collegiate Coach of the Year Award to Tulane’s Willie Fritz and the MFC Legends Award to former New York Jets defensive lineman Joe Klecko.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.