National Football League

Eagles' Jalen Hurts reportedly will pay for funeral of high school football player

Updated Mar. 19, 2024 9:45 a.m. ET

Jalen Hurts is helping out his old high school rival in a major way.

In the aftermath of the tragic death of a Houston high school football player, Hurts has decided to pay for the funeral of the teenager, NFL Media reported Tuesday.

Jarvon Coles, an 18-year-old who played football at North Shore High School, was found by police with a gunshot wound, unresponsive and suffering a seizure at a party on the night of March 9. After CPR was attempted on Cole, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at a local hospital.

Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said they believed that the shooter or shooters "intentionally shot" in the direction of the house party Coles was attending from roughly a block away, with the suspects leaving the scene by vehicle. The suspects remain at large.

In addition to playing linebacker for North Shore High School, Coles was also a strong student. He had a 4.1 GPA and had been accepted into 15 colleges, his grandfather told KHOU 11 News. Coles recently visited Lamar University, where he was planning to play football after being a two-time first-team all-district linebacker.

Coles' funeral was held on Saturday. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Houston Mayor John Whitmire declared the day "Jarvon Coles Day" as the teenager was laid to rest. Hurts also sent a video message to the family ahead of the funeral, according to KHOU 11 News.

Hurts grew up in nearby Channelview, Texas, attending Channelview High School. North Shore is one of the bordering towns.