The Philadelphia Eagles have shut down Jalen Hurts for the rest of the season after doctors found multiple blood clots in his lungs, ending any lingering hope that he could make it back during this year’s run.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday morning that Hurts will miss the remainder of the season “after doctors discovered multiple blood clots in” the quarterback’s lungs. Rapoport also said that “Hurts will undergo treatment for the blood clots that will take at least three months.”
That news marks a sharp turn from Sunday’s reporting, which said the Eagles would only consider activating Hurts again this season if what had been described as a superficial blood clot “completely melted” away before the campaign ended. Instead, Philadelphia appears unwilling to take any chances with his long-term health.
Hurts had already been ruled out for Sunday’s 25-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers, a defeat that dropped the Eagles to 2-4. He was placed on injured reserve before that game, and by early Monday morning there had still been uncertainty about whether he could be cleared in time to return after Philadelphia’s Week 10 bye.
With Hurts unavailable, backup Tanner McKee made his first start against Carolina and went 26-of-45 for 215 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
The Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, released a statement saying: “Over the last few days, Jalen Hurts has received comprehensive medical evaluations by physician experts,” agent Nicole Lynn and the Eagles said in a statement shared on the team's website. "...
Jalen was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis. After further testing and monitoring, the current diagnosis is a deep vein thrombosis, as well as bilateral pulmonary emboli.
He is clinically stable and has no significant functional limitations. His treatment should only involve anticoagulation (i.e. "blood thinners").
During this time, he will not be allowed to participate in any contact activities, including football. Jalen's prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery.
We anticipate that he will have the opportunity to resume contact football activities when off the blood thinners. In the meantime, he will remain active around the team and continue to condition.
More importantly, we anticipate that he will have no long-term effects.”
The absence also changes the broader picture around the Eagles’ season. Whispers earlier this summer suggested Hurts and head coach Nick Sirianni could be facing make-or-break situations in Philadelphia, and now general manager Howie Roseman may have to decide whether to push forward or effectively punt on the rest of the year with Hurts out indefinitely.
One potential outside option looks unrealistic, too. The source noted that while teams usually do not trade away a proven backup in the middle of a season, that would seem to rule out Mac Jones of the San Francisco 49ers as a possibility for Philadelphia this fall.
The Eagles’ next game is at home against the rival Dallas Cowboys on Oct. 26 on “Monday Night Football.” Shortly after the Hurts update, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Philadelphia as a 4.5-point home underdog against Dallas.
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