The Clapback Podcast spoke with New Orleans Saints left tackle James Hurst recently, recapping the former North Carolina Tar Heels standout’s college career, draft experience, and his NFL career so far. Hurst has been through a lot, and he shared a lot of insight to what he’s been through as a player whose college career ended with an injury that caused him to enter the league as an undrafted free agent.
It’s a candid, thorough interview so be sure to give it a listen. When asked about his most difficult opponent, Hurst pointed to Melvin Ingram, who gave him some trouble in the past. But this year’s cold-weather game with the Cleveland Browns gave him a new challenge against big-time defensive end Myles Garrett.
“It was negative-26 degrees wind chill on Christmas Eve in Cleveland. Easily the coldest I’ve ever been,” Hurst began. “Honestly it felt like a health concern that we were still out there playing the game, but you know the NFL’s going to get the game in. Your hands have no chance. In a normal game you’re punching and grabbing people, I don’t think I grabbed someone the whole game. It doesn’t matter how many layers, you can’t get enough blood flow. That was miserable.”
But that gave him a bit of an advantage against Garrett. The conditions helped him limit Garrett to just 3 tackles and 2 quarterback pressures for one of his least-productive games last season. Hurst continued: “Really glad to block Myles Garrett in a snow storm with an icy field, and not a normal situation. This season he was doing the scariest things to people: he was winning with every move, power, speed, hands. Every way you can beat somebody, he was doing it. Really grateful to have the weather on my side.”
That’s not the best story Hurst has from his time with the Saints, though. He once nearly caught a touchdown pass from Drew Brees. Or he was supposed to, if not for the legendary quarterbacks’ untimely injury.
Hurst’s first year with the team saw him playing as the sixth man, and he did well enough catching passes in practice that the Saints drew up a play for him when they got into scoring position. He recalled fine-tuning it under tight ends coach Dan Campbell (“One of my favorite coaches, an awesome guy,” he says of the future Detroit Lions head coach) with Brees and Sean Payton watching him carefully: “Played a lot of jumbo tight end, which was a blast honestly. I can catch a ball. So we put in a play, Drew was the quarterback, it was like a red zone play, really a goal-line play. If we get to the two-yard line, it’s the first play getting called.”
Things went well in practice. He caught the pass from Brees even with taped-up fingers and lineman gloves on, and it was part of the plan for their Week 10 game against the San Francisco 49ers in 2020.
“We’re freaking running the play,” Hurst reminisced. “Leading up to the game, we get down to the 2-yard line, play’s getting called. So first trip down, we’re on the 4-yard line, scored a touchdown from the 4. Next drive, Drew gets sacked, breaks his ribs. Play is out. Devastated. Devastating moment.”
Jameis Winston finished the game in the second half, and the Saints won it 27-13. Brees spent the next four weeks recovering on injured reserve, and the Saints weren’t in a position to try Hurst’s trick play once he returned to the lineup. It’s a shame.
“I could’ve caught a touchdown from Drew Brees, in his last season. Would’ve been freaking awesome. So that’s my story of almost-glory right there, that’s as good as it gets for a lineman,” he laughed.
So what’s next for Hurst? He’s pursued his MBA online and hopes to become a small-business owner after hanging up his cleats someday, having discovered a passion for coffee. He says he has ambitions of opening his own coffeeshop eventually. In the meantime, he’s gearing up for another year with the Saints, being a good teammate and a veteran presence in the locker room. His modest salary cap hit ($3.761 million) is very affordable for a starting lineman, and Trevor Penning’s injury history means he has a good shot at competing for the job at left tackle. If Penning is able to force him aside, great; Hurst has played quality snaps at guard in the past, and he relished the opportunity to line up as a jumbo tight end. He should have a role on this team one way or another.
