The tragic death of Columbus Blue Jackets forward Johnny Gaudreau and his brother Matthew Gaudreau has been felt not just across the hockey world, but all of sports in general.
Athletes from across several different sports have shared their condolences on Friday, with Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James and Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout being two of the most notable to do so.
On Friday evening, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts joined those offering their condolences, writing a heartfelt tribute on social media.
“I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau,” Hurts wrote. “Johnny was a dedcated hockey player, Birds fan & cherished member of the Eagles faithful.
I want to send my heartfelt condolences to the entire Gaudreau family & those impacted by this loss!”
Hurts concluded his tribute with #FlyJohnnyFly, alluding to Philadelphia’s fight song “Fly, Eagles Fly.”
The Gaudreau brothers were born in Salem, New Jersey, which is just an hour drive away from Philadelphia across the Delaware River.
During Johnny’s free agency in 2022, there was significant speculation about him coming back home – with either the Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils or even the New York Islanders.
However, he shocked the hockey world by signing with Columbus instead, bucking the trend of players leaving the Blue Jackets to sign with other teams.
I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Johnny & Matthew Gaudreau. Johnny was a dedicated hockey player, Birds fan & cherished member of the Eagles faithful. I want to send my heartfelt condolences to the entire Gaudreau family & those impacted by this loss!#FlyJohnnyFly
— Jalen Hurts (@JalenHurts) August 30, 2024
Johnny and Matthew were killed in Oldmans Township, New Jersey, which is even closer to Philadelphia at roughly a 40-minute drive.
Hurts, 26, is the face of the Eagles today. In four seasons, three as a starter, the Oklahoma product has completed 63.4 percent of his passes for 11,674 yards, 67 touchdowns and 34 interceptions, adding 2,503 yards and 41 touchdowns on the ground. He’s also made the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons, and finished second in MVP voting in 2022 while leading Philadelphia to a Super Bowl 57 appearance.
Hurts and the Eagles begin their season on Sept. 8 when they play the Green Bay Packers in the NFL’s first-ever game in Brazil. Although Johnny and Matthew never played football, their loss is still felt by Hurts, the Eagles and the NFL as a whole.
