An ugly theory about Jalen Hurts turned into one of Friday night’s more jaw-dropping NFL talking points.
Michael Robinson, now an NFL Network analyst and a former fullback, suggested on air that the Eagles quarterback might be faking a blood clot to make it look like he isn’t the reason for Philadelphia’s offensive struggles.
“If I’m Jalen Hurts or anybody in Jalen Hurts’ camp, ‘Well, if everybody is hurt, I’m hurt, too,’” Robinson said.
He pushed the idea even further from there.
“Guys, I’ve been cleated before, and I’m not saying a superficial blood clot isn’t serious. I’m not saying that,” Robinson said. “But I would advise all of our viewers to go Google, ‘Superficial blood clot as opposed to a real blood clot.’”
Robinson also said he is not a medical expert, even as he tried to minimize the issue to support his theory.
“But to me, it looked like Jalen is getting himself out of the fray, so that this loss season ... this a loss season,” Robinson said. “He’s pulling himself off so this doesn’t look like this is on me.”
The reaction from former NFL linebacker A.J. Hawk Griffin was immediate and blistering.
“THIS IS RIDICULOUS,” Griffin wrote on X. “The negative narratives around Jalen Hurts have to stop.
Michael Robinson is accusing Jalen Hurts of saying, ‘Well if everybody’s hurt, I’m hurt, too.” And that Jalen Hurts is “pulling himself out so that this doesn’t look like it’s on me.” when Jalen Hurts has a BLOOD CLOT THAT SHOWED MOVEMENT AND COULD BE LIFE THREATENING.That’s OUTRAGEOUS
“WHAT ARE WE DOING MAN? I would never expect this from a former player.I wouldn’t expect this from ANYBODY. Jalen Hurts can’t even have a serious medical condition in peace.”
In Other News...
Penn States Big Ten Position Just Got Much More Uncomfortable
Week 7 of the 2026 college football season shook up the national picture in a hurry, and the ripple effects reached well beyond the biggest headlines. With half of the AP Top 10 going down, including Georgia and Notre Dame, the sport suddenly feels a lot less predictable, and the Big Tens pecking order got harder to read by the hour. A weekend full of upsets and quarterback absences turned what had looked like a fairly stable race into something much messier.
Ohio State now has its own concern after Julian Sayin was sidelined for several weeks, a development that changes the leagues balance in a hurry. Around the conference, teams such as Rutgers, Minnesota, UCLA and Oregon posted notable results while also dealing with the growing reality of backup quarterbacks being forced into bigger roles. For Penn State, the broader takeaway is obvious: the path through the Big Ten just got more crowded, more unpredictable and a lot less comfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Rocco Becht Faces A Penn State Question Fans Can't Ignore
Rocco Bechts season has become one of the biggest reasons Penn States offense has stalled during a four-game losing streak. Through seven games, the quarterback has dealt with turnovers and uneven play, even as his completion percentage has climbed from last season. The bigger concern is that the improvement has not translated into cleaner overall production, especially on the short throws that are supposed to keep an offense on schedule.
Penn State has not done him many favors either. The running game has been weak, and injuries to key receivers have left Becht operating with less margin for error than he would like. Even so, the questions around him are growing because the underlying issues are showing up in the same places week after week, and the Nittany Lions still need a way to turn a frustrating stretch into something more sustainable. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States QB Faces Mounting Pressure After Painful Michigan Loss
Rocco Bechts latest outing left Penn State with plenty to sort through after a 21-18 loss to Michigan, a game in which the quarterbacks mistakes helped tilt the second half. Becht was part of a messy afternoon that featured two interceptions and a lost fumble, the kind of turnover-heavy performance that can linger after a tight road loss and raise questions about how a team moves forward.
Matt Campbell, though, did not sound ready to shift away from his starter. He pointed to Bechts competitiveness and the room he still has to grow, while Becht acknowledged the challenge and said he believes in himself and in the work ahead. For Penn State, the storyline now is less about one bad night than whether its quarterback can steady things quickly enough to keep the season from slipping into something more complicated. [Read more 🡒]