Philadelphia Eagles Quarterback Jalen Hurts joined former President Barack Obama, Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie, and Eagles Running Back Saquon Barkley at Merion Golf Club earlier this week.
Merion has hosted the U.S. Open on five occasions, with Ben Hogan famously winning in 1953 and Lee Trevino taking home his second major title in 1971. The Philadelphia-area course most recently hosted the U.S. Open in 2013, when Justin Rose won his only major title.
The course is also picturesque and challenges anyone who plays it. So that, coupled with its history, makes Merion a bucket-list course that every golfer dreams of playing.
Except Hurts could not play. A clause in his contract prevents him from playing golf, which Hurts revealed in a Wednesday press conference.
“To see [President Obama] out there enjoying himself and talking a little trash, that was cool,” Hurts said.
“I told him he didn’t want these problems just yet. I can’t golf right now. [Because of my] contract, I can’t golf.”
Instead, the signal-caller hung with the group the whole time, according to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
Jalen Hurts says he did not actually golf yesterday with former President Obama, Saquon Barkley, and Jeff Lurie. Jalen hung with the group the whole time. He says it’s in his contract that he can’t golf.
Saquon says it was one of the coolest experiences of his life pic.twitter.com/OJGFpG3wKQ
— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) October 30, 2024
After becoming the full-time starter for the Eagles ahead of the 2021 season, Hurts led Philadelphia to a 9-8 record and a postseason appearance. But in the first round, they lost to Tampa Bay, in what would be Tom Brady’s final playoff victory.
The following year, Hurts led the Eagles to a 14-3 record, with two losses coming late in the season when a shoulder injury sidelined him. The Eagles, as the NFC’s top seed, then marched through the playoffs, defeating the Giants and the 49ers by a combined score of 69-14. They then lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, 38-35. Two months after that narrow defeat, Hurts signed a 5-year contract extension for $255 million.
His contract included a clause guaranteeing $180 million to Hurts. But it also included an anti-golf stipulation, which hurts. Then again, he’s making eight figures per year to play football, and plenty of golf awaits him in retirement. So it’s not all bad for the two-time Pro Bowler.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
