Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season after further testing showed blood clots had reached both lungs.
The 28-year-old and the team released a joint statement Monday detailing the updated diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. Hurts is clinically stable with no significant functional limitations. Treatment involves blood thinners, during which he cannot take part in contact activities, including football.
Specialists in London initially found a left calf superficial vein thrombosis after the Eagles’ 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 11. Additional monitoring confirmed the more serious condition.
The statement said Hurts’ prognosis is very good and a full recovery is expected with no long-term effects. He can return to contact once off the medication and will stay active around the team while conditioning.
Reports earlier Monday said doctors had advised Hurts not to sleep as a precaution after the initial finding, leaving him awake roughly 36 hours before kickoff. He was said to have remained in a hospital until about 4 a.m. local time. That account drew sharp criticism of the medical staff for clearing him to play.
Agent Nicole Lynn later clarified through NFL reporter Tom Pelissero that Hurts was evaluated at the hospital until early Sunday morning but slept after rejoining the team. The Eagles arranged a room for him at the stadium. Videos showed him entering the field just before kickoff, and he felt rested enough to play.
“Just spoke to Jalen Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, who clarified that while Hurts was up until early Sunday morning getting evaluated at a hospital, he was able to sleep upon rejoining the team and the Eagles set aside a room for him at the stadium,” Pelissero reported.
“Videos from the stadium show Hurts coming onto the field just before kickoff and he felt rested enough to play.”
In the game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Hurts completed 21 of 40 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. The Eagles fell 19-17. It marked his fifth start of the season, in which he had thrown for 933 yards and eight touchdowns.
Head coach Nick Sirianni addressed the handling of the situation later Monday.
“I’m not a medical expert,” Sirianni said. “I lean on our medical experts in every situation. I have full trust and full faith in them.” He added that player health is always at the forefront of the organization’s thinking.
The Eagles placed Hurts on injured reserve after an ultrasound showed movement in the clot following practice on Oct. 14. He had been ruled out for the following game against Carolina. The original calf issue was traced to a play in the Oct. 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Hurts, the Super Bowl LIX MVP, is expected to need about three months of treatment. The timeline makes a return this season unlikely, though the team anticipates he will be ready for contact football activity once cleared from the blood thinners.
