Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will miss the remainder of the 2026 NFL season after doctors discovered blood clots in both of his lungs, a joint statement from his agent Nicole Lynn and the team announced Monday. The 28-year-old is clinically stable and expected to make a full recovery.
Hurts has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli — meaning a clot that formed in his leg traveled to his lungs. According to reporting from ESPN and NFL Network, treatment with blood thinners is expected to last at least three months, and he cannot take part in football activities while on the medication because of the bleeding risk from collisions.
“Jalen’s prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery,” the statement said. “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.”
How it unfolded
The sequence began Oct. 4, when Hurts took a cleat to his calf during a game against the Los Angeles Rams, according to the Eagles. After an international flight to London, an ultrasound revealed a superficial blood clot in his left calf, but he was cleared to play and threw 40 passes in a 19-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 11. A follow-up ultrasound back in Philadelphia showed the clot had moved, and the Eagles ruled him out of the Week 6 game against Carolina before placing him on injured reserve Saturday.
Tanner McKee started in his place and completed 26 of 45 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown in a 25-14 home loss to the Panthers. Hurts appeared in five games this season, throwing for 933 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 57.8 percent of his attempts.
Investigation questions
The handling of the injury has drawn scrutiny. The NFL Players Association is demanding a full investigation into the medical care provided to Hurts, according to The Athletic. But a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the league will not discipline Philadelphia, saying officials had been in contact with Eagles medical personnel and the Cleveland Clinic in London throughout the process. General manager Howie Roseman has also received public backing from Hurts’ camp, with a source telling ESPN the GM prioritized the quarterback’s health throughout the ordeal.
The loss of Hurts compounds a stunning fall for the preseason Super Bowl favorites, who sit in last place after the Eagles’ season went off the rails.
