Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will miss the remainder of the season after doctors determined he has a deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli — blood clots in his lungs — a condition that is far more serious than the initial diagnosis he received.
Hurts had first been diagnosed by specialists in London with a superficial vein thrombosis in his left calf. Further testing and monitoring revealed the more serious conditions, according to a joint statement released by the Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn.
“Jalen was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis,” the statement read. “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’).”
The statement said Hurts will not be permitted to take part in any contact activities, including football, while he undergoes treatment.
“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.”
ESPN has separately reported that Hurts did not sleep the night before the Eagles’ game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, after doctors warned that doing so could pose a health risk.
That detail has raised questions in Philadelphia about how the team and its medical staff handled the situation. If Hurts’ condition was serious enough to keep him up through the night, questions remain about why he was cleared to play, and why the earlier superficial vein thrombosis diagnosis was not treated with more caution given that it can sometimes mask a more serious underlying problem.
The news comes at a difficult moment for the franchise. With Hurts now sidelined for the season and Pro Bowl offensive tackle Lane Johnson having abruptly announced his retirement, the Eagles face a markedly different outlook for the rest of the year than the one many Philadelphia fans had expected heading into the season.
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