Eagles Won't Be Disciplined Over Jalen Hurts Blood Clots
The Philadelphia Eagles will not face disciplinary action over their handling of quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood-clot injury, according to a person familiar with the situation.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity on Tuesday because conversations between the league and the team were to remain private, The Guardian reported.
The NFL said in a statement Tuesday that it had been in contact with Eagles medical personnel and the Cleveland Clinic in London throughout Hurts’ treatment. The league said chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills arranges for medical resources with leading providers in every international market, with approval from the NFL Players Association.
The league added that medical care for players is provided by club medical staff in coordination with independent doctors. Sills and other officials were expected to address reporters at the NFL’s annual fall meeting later Tuesday in New York.
Hurts is on injured reserve, a roster designation for players sidelined by injury, and is expected to miss the rest of the season. The Eagles placed him there on Saturday, 17 October, Reuters reported.
The team and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, said Monday that Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. In plain terms, that means a clot in a deep vein in his left calf that traveled to both lungs.
His treatment involves blood thinners. He will not be allowed to take part in any football activities while he is taking them, because of the risk of bleeding from contact.
The timeline drew scrutiny. Hurts told medical staff about the leg issue after practice, then played against Jacksonville in London on 11 October three days later. Specialists in London initially diagnosed a superficial vein thrombosis, a clot in a smaller vein near the surface of his left calf.
For fans, this means two things are settled. Philadelphia must finish the season without its starting quarterback. And the league is satisfied, for now, with how the team and its doctors handled a scary, fast-moving medical case.
