From calf injury to diagnosis

Jalen Hurts took a cleat to his left calf in the Eagles' game against the Los Angeles Rams on 4 October. He went to the training room on 8 October seeking treatment, after practicing in full for two days. Medical staff ran an ultrasound on 10 October, after the team had flown to London for its game, and the scan revealed a superficial vein thrombosis in the left calf. Doctors in London reviewed the results and cleared him to play, while recommending a follow-up ultrasound within 72 hours of the game and the return flight to Philadelphia.

The London game and the flight home

Hurts played in the 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on 11 October, throwing for 220 yards and a touchdown, and then flew home with the team. He received treatment over the next two days in Philadelphia. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that Hurts had been in a hospital until 4 a.m. the night before the game, a detail missing from the Eagles' statement. It was later clarified that he slept after rejoining the team early that morning and that a room had been set aside for him at the stadium. Hurts returned to practice in full on 14 October and spoke publicly about the injury for the first time.

“It was a very unique experience, to say the least.”

Diagnosis, league review and the season

A follow-up ultrasound on 14 October showed movement in the clot. Hurts was placed on injured reserve, which keeps him out for at least four games, starting with the 18 October game against the Carolina Panthers. Coach Nick Sirianni declined on 16 October to explain why Hurts had no ultrasound until after the team left for London. On 19 October the Eagles and his agent, Nicole Lynn, announced deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, which are clots in both lungs. The NFL said it had stayed in close contact with the Eagles' medical personnel and the Cleveland Clinic in London, and found the club had handled the matter appropriately. A person familiar with the situation told the Associated Press that the Eagles will not face discipline. The NFL Players Association said it had not been informed of any league review and demanded a comprehensive investigation, while the league had told the union it did not intend to examine the care Hurts received.

NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills defended the team's doctors at the league's annual fall meeting in New York on 20 October. Sills said he could not discuss specifics because of patient confidentiality rules, but he pointed to the conservative care and the imaging performed in London.

“I respect the patient, who happens to be a prominent player, and also the providers.”

Sills also rejected the idea that outside pressure had shaped the doctors' decisions, saying team physicians do not take instructions from football executives or owners.

Treatment and outlook

Hurts is clinically stable and is receiving blood thinners. The Eagles and his agent said he is expected to recover fully. Experts cited in German-language reporting say he will need to take blood thinners for at least three months. The Guardian reported that he will not be allowed to take part in any football activities until he is no longer on the medication. The 28-year-old quarterback is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season, and the club has not said when he might return.