Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood clot diagnosis has prompted a joint review by the NFL and its players’ union.
The review follows a sequence of medical evaluations that began with a superficial clot in Hurts’ left calf and later revealed deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in both lungs. Hurts played against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Oct. 11 after doctors cleared him to compete, according to the Eagles.
His condition has since sidelined him, placing the decisions surrounding his treatment and return to competition under scrutiny.
The Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, announced Oct. 19 that he was receiving blood thinners and would not participate in contact activities, including football, during treatment. Their statement described him as clinically stable and expressed confidence in his recovery.
“Jalen’s prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery,” the statement said.
The medical timeline began earlier in October.
According to the Eagles, Hurts reported calf discomfort to the training staff after practice Oct. 8. He told staff members he had been struck by a cleat during Philadelphia’s Oct. 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Hurts received treatment, practiced in full Oct. 9 and appeared on the team’s practice report before traveling to London.
An ultrasound performed Oct. 10, after the team’s flight and walkthrough, revealed a superficial blood clot. The Eagles said their medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the findings and determined that movement was important and Hurts could play safely.
Doctors recommended another ultrasound within 72 hours of the game and return flight, according to the team.
Hurts played without restrictions against Jacksonville. After returning to Philadelphia, he received treatment and practiced in full Oct. 14. A follow-up ultrasound that evening showed movement in the clot, prompting the Eagles to rule him out against Carolina.
Five days later, the team and Lynn announced the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning blood clots in both lungs. They said Hurts could continue conditioning and remain involved with the team while undergoing treatment.
The diagnosis involves conditions that require urgent medical attention.
Deep vein thrombosis occurs when a clot develops in a deep vein, most commonly in the legs, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A pulmonary embolism occurs when part of a clot breaks off and travels to the lungs, where it can cause a potentially life-threatening blockage.
The CDC identifies injury to a vein and slowed blood flow from limited movement among the factors that can increase clotting risk. Those general risk factors, however, do not establish what caused Hurts’ condition or whether a particular medical decision contributed to it.
The distinction between the initial diagnosis and subsequent findings is central to understanding the case. The Eagles said doctors cleared Hurts after identifying a superficial clot. The later announcement described a different diagnosis involving deep veins and both lungs.
The team’s public statements provide a timeline of its decisions but do not independently establish whether those decisions met the appropriate standard of care.
For Hurts, the immediate priority remains treatment. The Eagles and Lynn said they anticipated no long-term effects and expected him to have an opportunity to resume contact football after coming off blood thinners.
The review now places the handling of his condition at the center of a broader player safety question: how medical information is evaluated before an athlete is cleared to compete.
