Jalen Hurts out for season after blood clots discovered in Eagles QB's lungs
The Eagles quarterback is out for the year after doctors found blood clots in his lungs, with treatment expected to last at least three months.
Why Jalen Hurts is done for the year
Jalen Hurts is out for the rest of the season. The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback will miss the remainder of the year after doctors discovered multiple blood clots in his lungs, a diagnosis far more serious than the calf issue that first sidelined him. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter, what began as a superficial clot in Hurts' calf led to further testing that turned up a deep vein thrombosis along with bilateral pulmonary emboli.
Rapoport reports the treatment for the blood clots will take at least three months. Hurts will be on anticoagulation medication during that stretch, which means he cannot take part in football activities until he is off the blood thinners. Hurts' agent, Nicole Lynn, and the Eagles released a joint statement Monday laying out his medical status.
What the Eagles and doctors are saying
The statement from Lynn and the Eagles describes Hurts as "clinically stable and has no significant functional limitations." It adds that Hurts will not be allowed to participate in football activities while he is on the anticoagulation medication. The team says the outlook is encouraging. "Jalen's prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery," the statement said.
The statement also says Hurts will remain active around the team and continue to condition while he recovers. The expectation, according to Lynn and the Eagles, is that he will have the chance to resume contact football activities once he is off the blood thinners, and that there will be no long-term effects.
What is known, what is not, and what happens next
What is known: Hurts initially was diagnosed with a superficial clot in his calf. Further examination found the deep vein thrombosis and the clots in both lungs. He is clinically stable right now. What is not known from the statement: an exact return timeline beyond the three-month treatment window Rapoport reported, and whether Hurts plays again this season for Philadelphia in any capacity.
What happens next is treatment first. Hurts stays on blood thinners for at least three months, stays away from football activities during that stretch, and keeps conditioning with the team. Lynn and the Eagles say they expect him back to contact work once he is cleared off the medication, with no long-term effects expected.
The Eagles played without him Sunday
The diagnosis comes right after Philadelphia's most recent game, a 25-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Bryce Young threw two touchdown passes for Carolina in the win over an Eagles team ESPN described as injury-riddled. The Eagles now have to move forward for the rest of the season with the quarterback situation around Hurts' absence, while he focuses on treatment away from the field.
Hurts remains part of the team during his recovery. He will stay around the facility and keep conditioning as doctors manage the blood thinner treatment, with the stated goal of a full return once he is cleared.
Facts per ESPN, ESPN box score. Opinion is the taproom's.