News that Jalen Hurts played a game hours after being diagnosed with a blood clot has shocked the NFL world — and raised serious questions about how the league handles player health. The Philadelphia Eagles have since said their star quarterback will probably miss the rest of the season after multiple blood clots were found in his lungs.
Jalen Hurts (Credits: BBC Sport)
Hurts, who has led the Eagles to two Super Bowls and won the NFL’s championship game in 2025, was initially diagnosed in London before the Eagles played at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 11. He flew back with the team that evening. The Eagles later confirmed he now has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli — multiple blood clots in both lungs — a life-threatening condition if not treated quickly.
Jalen Hurts Blood Clot Timeline: From London Diagnosis to Season-Ending News
The timeline, pieced together by BBC Sport, begins on October 4, when another player stepped on Hurts’ left calf during Philadelphia’s defeat by the Los Angeles Rams, although he completed the game. On October 8, Hurts first reported an issue to the team, trained in full all week and received treatment on Thursday and Friday.
After the Eagles arrived in London on the morning of October 10, Hurts visited the Cleveland Clinic that evening. An ultrasound showed a superficial blood clot (vein thrombosis) in his calf, but he was cleared to play on Sunday. He returned to the team hotel at about 3am before playing the full game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing for 220 yards and a touchdown as the Jaguars claimed a last-gasp 19-17 win. A follow-up ultrasound was recommended within 72 hours, and Hurts was cleared for the flight home.
On October 14, after daily treatment, another ultrasound showed the clot had moved, and he was ruled out of the next game. Then on October 19, a joint statement by the Eagles and Hurts’ agent confirmed the more serious diagnosis. His treatment will involve blood-thinning medicine, and he should make a full recovery, but he is expected to miss the rest of the season.
What the Jalen Hurts Case Means for the NFL
The case has raised questions over the NFL’s handling of the matter and its general approach to player health and safety, partly because the game was part of the league’s international series. Dr Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, was in London that weekend and arranged for Hurts to be evaluated at the Cleveland Clinic, an official supplier of sports medicine services for the NFL’s London games.
Sills explained at a news conference that the NFL has protocols for concussions, emergency preparedness and extreme heat, but does not have a protocol for situations such as this. He said those who dealt with Hurts were “incredibly conservative” and that he had “complete confidence” in how the Eagles handled the situation.
The NFL Players Association (NFLPA) initially called for a full investigation, noting the NFL had previously said it did not plan to review the care Hurts received. On Sunday, however, the league and NFLPA released a joint statement saying they are “working together to review the matter”. With the NFL’s next international game set for Madrid on November 8, the outcome of that review will be watched closely across the league.
Source: BBC Sport — read the full story there.
