Eagles QB Jalen Hurts ruled out vs. Panthers with blood clot in calf
The Eagles pulled Jalen Hurts for Sunday's game against Carolina after a follow-up ultrasound showed a blood clot in his calf had moved.
Why Hurts is out this week
The Eagles ruled out Jalen Hurts for Sunday's game against the Panthers on Thursday, after a follow-up ultrasound found that a superficial blood clot in his calf had moved. The team says it is still working out the right course of treatment, so there is no word yet on how long Hurts will be sidelined. Tanner McKee is expected to start at quarterback against Carolina.
How it unfolded
The issue traces back to the Eagles' Oct. 4 game against the Rams, where Hurts said he got cleated. He didn't ask the training staff for treatment on the calf until the following Thursday, Oct. 8, after practice, having practiced in full both that Wednesday and Thursday beforehand.
He got treatment again Friday, practiced in full, and was added to the injury report with the calf issue. Even so, he carried no injury designation into that Sunday's game against the Jaguars in London.
Out of caution, the team ran an ultrasound Saturday once the Eagles had landed in London and finished a walkthrough. That scan turned up the superficial blood clot. Medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the results, decided staying active and mobile mattered, and cleared Hurts to play, with a follow-up ultrasound ordered within 72 hours of the game and the return flight.
Hurts played the Jaguars game without limitation, going 21 of 40 for 220 yards and a touchdown in a 19-17 loss. He received treatment Monday and Tuesday and practiced fully Wednesday. That Wednesday night, the follow-up ultrasound showed the clot had moved, which is what pulled him out of Sunday's game.
What happens next
The Eagles say they've stayed in touch with the NFL office throughout the process. Asked about the injury Wednesday, Hurts said he got nicked against the Rams and called the lead-up to the Jaguars game "a very unique experience, to say the least." He didn't take the field until right before kickoff against Jacksonville and rode a stationary bike between series, both tied to the calf.
No timetable has been given for when Hurts might return. For now, it's McKee running the offense against the Panthers.
The season behind it
Hurts is 28 and has thrown for 933 yards with eight touchdowns and three interceptions this season. He's taken the Eagles to two Super Bowls and won MVP after they beat the Chiefs for the title in the 2024 season. He's in the middle of a five-year, $255 million extension that includes $179.3 million guaranteed, running through the 2028 season.
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