Jalen Hurts diagnosed with blood clots in lungs, likely out for season

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has blood clots in both lungs along with deep vein thrombosis, and is taking blood thinners that will keep him from playing, according to a joint statement issued Monday by the team and his agent, Nicole Lynn.

Outlets described his timeline somewhat differently. WHYY called him sidelined indefinitely and said the condition could end his season. CBS Philadelphia cited league sources who expect him to miss the remaining games. NBC10 reported he will likely sit out the rest of the year, and 6abc said the clots have ended his season.

According to the statement, Hurts is stable from a medical standpoint and his physical function is not meaningfully limited. He will stay away from football activities while on anticoagulants but will remain with the team and keep conditioning. The team and Lynn said his outlook is very good and they expect him to recover fully, with no long-term effects anticipated, CBS Philadelphia reported.

As 6abc explained, deep vein thrombosis refers to a clot in a vein deep in the body, most often in the leg. A bilateral pulmonary embolism means clots have reached both lungs, usually after one breaks loose and moves through the bloodstream.

The team told WHYY that Hurts took a cleat to the calf during the Oct. 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams. CBS Philadelphia reported that he first sought treatment for the calf after practice on Oct. 8.

After the team landed in London, an ultrasound on Oct. 10 detected a clot, NBC10 reported. Specialists there identified it as a superficial vein thrombosis in the left calf, and Hurts played in the Eagles' last-second defeat to the Jacksonville Jaguars. A later ultrasound in Philadelphia found that the clot had shifted, according to NBC10.

Last Thursday, the club said Hurts would sit out Sunday's matchup with the Carolina Panthers, and on Saturday it moved him to injured reserve. Tanner McKee started in his place, going 26 for 45 with 215 passing yards and one touchdown as Carolina won 25-14, WHYY reported. NBC10 said McKee will continue as the starter.

WHYY reported that the result left Philadelphia at 2-4 with four losses in a row, a streak the franchise had not endured since 2020.

Before this injury, the 28-year-old Hurts had never sat out more than two games in any season after taking over as the full-time starter in 2021, according to WHYY. Under him, the Eagles have reached the playoffs five years running and played in two Super Bowls, and he was the MVP of Super Bowl 59.

Compiled by True News from reporting by 6abc Action News, WHYY, CBS Philadelphia and NBC10 Philadelphia. Each outlet's original story is linked below.

Originally published by True News: https://truenews.bagleyenterprises.net/stories/249