The fallout from one of the season’s most alarming medical stories is growing.
The NFL Players Association on Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2026, called for a full investigation into the medical care Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts received before and after he played with a blood clot in London.
What did the NFLPA say about Jalen Hurts?
The union said it was not aware of any league investigation and that the NFL had told it there were no plans to review Jalen Hurts’ care.
Before anyone draws conclusions, the union said, a full investigation must determine what happened. Establishing the facts is essential to protecting players in the future, it added.
The statement came after reports that the league would not punish the Eagles over how Hurts was cleared to play.
What happened to Jalen Hurts?
An ultrasound in London on Oct. 10 found a superficial blood clot, according to the team. Eagles doctors and physicians in London reviewed the results and concluded that staying active was important and that Hurts could safely play against the Jacksonville Jaguars the next day.
After returning to Philadelphia, Hurts had another ultrasound last Wednesday that showed the clot had moved. The team ruled him out of Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
On Monday, Hurts’ agent and the Eagles said further testing found deep vein thrombosis and clots in both lungs, meaning a clot traveled from his leg to his lungs. Deep vein thrombosis is a clot that forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg. When part of it breaks off and reaches the lungs, it is called a pulmonary embolism, which can be deadly.
Jalen Hurts, who is 28, is expected to miss the rest of the season, according to reports.
Reports said Hurts was at a London hospital late at night before the game and returned to the team hotel around 3 a.m. He slept until the team left for the stadium and napped again before warmups.
How has the NFL responded?
League officials strongly defended the medical process. The NFL’s chief medical officer called the idea that team doctors would put a player in harm’s way because of outside factors nonsense.
He described the Eagles’ approach as conservative, focused on the patient and appropriately cautious at every step, and said he has great confidence in the team’s medical staff. A top league health and safety executive called the speculation uninformed and unfounded.
The league said it stayed in contact with Eagles medical staff and doctors at Cleveland Clinic London throughout the process, but declined to discuss details, citing medical privacy. The league said it plans medical care for international games one to two years in advance, identifying local hospitals and doctors at each site.
What is the outlook for Jalen Hurts?
His prognosis is considered favorable. The clot is viewed as provoked, meaning it likely resulted from a specific cause, in this case being stepped on in the calf by a cleat, according to reports.
Blood clots in the lungs are typically treated with blood thinners for several months. Players on blood thinners generally cannot play contact sports because of the risk of serious bleeding.
Who will replace Jalen Hurts?
Backup Tanner McKee is expected to step in. The Eagles head coach said he has full confidence in McKee but will miss having Hurts on the field after six years together.
The coach said the health of players is always the team’s top priority and noted the same medical staff helped nearly every starter stay available for the Super Bowl.
For now, the questions surrounding the care of Jalen Hurts are unlikely to fade quickly.
