The pressure on the NFL over its handling of an injured star quarterback is now coming from Capitol Hill.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026, that the league welcomes an investigation into how the Philadelphia Eagles handled Jalen Hurts’ blood clots, after the players’ union called for one.
What did Roger Goodell say about the Hurts case?
Speaking at the end of the league’s annual fall meeting in New York, Roger Goodell said the union had every right to call for a review.
He said Hurts received a medical evaluation and that the league’s protocols were followed. The NFL’s chief medical officer has reviewed the steps taken, he added, and the league is comfortable with what it has seen.
Roger Goodell also downplayed the role international travel may have played. Hurts’ health and future matter most, he said, describing the quarterback as a wonderful young man the league cares about deeply.
Why did the NFLPA ask for an investigation?
The union said Tuesday it was not aware of any league investigation and that the NFL had told it there were no plans to review Hurts’ care. It said the facts must be established before anyone draws conclusions.
The request followed reports that the league would not punish the Eagles and a forceful defense of the team’s medical staff by the chief medical officer, who called any suggestion that doctors would put a player in harm’s way nonsense.
What is a senator asking Roger Goodell?
Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, a Democrat from Delaware, sent Roger Goodell a letter seeking answers about how Hurts developed blood clots and how the league handles clot cases.
She noted that athletes face several risk factors for clots, including traveling long distances, dehydration and physical trauma, and said the case raises important questions about how the NFL protects its players. She pointed out that several star athletes have dealt with blood clots in recent years, some of whom saw their careers cut short.
Her questions include what standards govern whether a player can be cleared when a clot is suspected or diagnosed, and whether the league will thoroughly review how the Eagles handled Hurts. She also asked for a briefing for her office and members of the Senate health committee.
The issue is personal for the senator. Her late husband died at 52 after blood clots traveled to his heart and lungs following an Achilles tendon injury he suffered playing basketball.
What happened to Jalen Hurts?
An ultrasound in London on Oct. 10 found a superficial clot in Hurts’ leg, according to the team. Eagles doctors and physicians in London concluded that staying active was important and that he could safely play against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Another ultrasound after the team returned home showed the clot had moved. Hurts and the Eagles later said testing revealed deep vein thrombosis and clots in both lungs.
Hurts, 28, is on injured reserve and is expected to miss the rest of the season, according to reports. His clot is considered provoked, linked to being stepped on in the calf, which generally means a favorable outlook with treatment.
What comes next for Roger Goodell and the NFL?
It is unclear whether the league will open a formal review or what it would involve. Goodell’s comments signaled openness, though he maintained the protocols worked. The Eagles have said their decisions were guided by medical experts in both countries.
The senator’s letter adds outside scrutiny that could keep the issue alive for weeks. For Roger Goodell, the challenge is showing players and lawmakers that the league’s medical system protects athletes.
