The NFL Players Association has demanded a “full investigation” into how the Philadelphia Eagles handled quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood clot diagnosis, after it emerged that Hurts played in London with a clot in his leg and has now been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in his lungs.
The union issued its statement on Tuesday night, pushing back on reports that the NFL had quietly concluded the Eagles’ medical process was “handled appropriately” and would not punish the team. The NFLPA said the league had informed the union it did not plan to review the care Hurts received at all.
From a calf clot to the lungs
The timeline, pieced together from team statements and league reporting, is troubling. An ultrasound on October 10, the day before the Eagles faced the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, found a superficial blood clot in Hurts’ calf. He was cleared to play anyway, throwing for 220 yards and one touchdown in a loss.
After the team returned to Philadelphia, further testing revealed the clot had moved. Hurts, 28, has deep vein thrombosis, and clots have been found in his lungs. Field Level Media reports he is likely out for the rest of the season. The question now driving the controversy is the obvious one: how was he cleared to play once a clot was found?
A standoff with the league
NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills dismissed concerns at a Tuesday press conference, calling the idea that physicians would put a player in harm’s way “nonsense.” The union’s statement was blunt in reply: “The NFLPA is not aware of any NFL investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts. In fact, the league previously informed the union that it did not plan to review the care he received. Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred.”
The standoff lands in the middle of a season already defined by medical scrutiny, from the NFL Week 5 slate in London to the weekly injury reports every contender manages. NBC Sports’ reporting notes that concussion protocol investigations typically take weeks to resolve, which makes the speed of the NFL’s apparent clearance all the more striking to the union.
