ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith used Wednesday’s First Take broadcast to press Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman for public comment on quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood-clot diagnosis.
Smith noted that head coach Nick Sirianni held a news conference Monday and fielded questions about the medical process. Roseman has not spoken on the matter.
“I am not criticizing the coach, I am just saying, someone should ask: ‘Where is Howie? Where is he? Isn’t he the boss?’” Smith said.
Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season after doctors diagnosed deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. He is clinically stable and on blood thinners that bar contact activity. Team and agent statements say a full recovery is expected with no long-term effects.
The Eagles sit 2-4 after four straight losses, second in the NFC East behind the 3-2-1 New York Giants. Dallas is also 2-4. Philadelphia has scored 106 points and allowed 137 through six games.
An ultrasound in London on Oct. 10 showed a superficial blood clot in Hurts’ left calf. Medical staff cleared him to play the Jacksonville Jaguars the next day. He took every offensive snap in the 19-17 loss before flying home with the team.
A follow-up scan later revealed movement in the clot. Additional testing confirmed clots had reached both lungs. Hurts sat out Sunday’s 25-14 home loss to Carolina with backup Tanner McKee starting.
The NFL reviewed the timeline and concluded the process was handled appropriately. League officials said no punishment will be issued. Chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills expressed confidence in the Eagles’ medical staff and doctors in London.
The NFL Players Association called for a full investigation. Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday the league welcomes that step.
“We welcome that. That’s part of our processes. That’s fine,” Goodell said. He added that protocols were followed and the league is comfortable with what it has seen.
Smith, who has Philadelphia ties, returned to the topic of Roseman’s silence.
“I’ll be watching him day and night. We’re not talking about anything related to football. I want Howie. Where are you?” he said.
He continued that the league can defend its review, yet questions remain for the general manager.
“The league can say whatever it wants,” Smith said. “Something went wrong, that’s a fact, we all know. But the most important point for me is, Howie Roseman, where are you? You have to answer these questions.”
Sources close to the process described Roseman as hands-on and focused on Hurts’ health. Public scrutiny has centered on the decision to play and travel after the initial London finding.
Philadelphia hosts Dallas on Monday night in a Week 7 NFC East game. The next two contests are also against division opponents before the bye. Those results will shape how the team approaches the trade deadline with its starting quarterback unavailable.
Hurts, the Super Bowl LIX MVP, remains around the team while conditioning. Medical experts outside the organization note that blood-thinner treatment for such clots typically lasts several months, with follow-up imaging used to clear a return to contact.
The Eagles entered the season aiming to build on their 11-6 finish in 2025. The combination of the losing streak and Hurts’ absence has shifted the immediate focus to medical transparency and depth at quarterback.
