On Sunday night, Jalen Hurts carried the weight of the world. He held it in his right hand as he walked to a spot in the locker room where he could lean against the wall, slide to the floor, stretch out his legs and place the Lombardi Trophy between them.

Jalen Hurts smiled as he held the Lombardi Trophy in his right hand and the Super Bowl MVP trophy in his left hand, reflecting on all he has gone through to reach the pinnacle of success. The hurdles he faced along the way helped lead to where he stood Monday morning: a Super Bowl champion and MVP.

Jalen Hurts has been fighting to get here for close to 10 years: on the midfield stage of a championship game, holding a trophy while confetti falls around him with the cheers of adoring fans ringing out around a massive stadium.