The area around Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London was so raucous that it reportedly resembled the noise heard in South Philly. Such was the excitement local media had built up ahead of the Eagles’ clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The stakes were high for the NFL, too, with tickets completely sold out and star names like Simone Biles set to be in attendance. In that atmosphere, it was absolutely paramount that the best of the best took to the field, even if it meant they hadn’t slept in over a day and a half.

An ultrasound in London had revealed a blood clot in Jalen Hurts’ left calf, and the diagnosis did raise concerns. After consulting with doctors, however, the Eagles decided that the quarterback was fit to play. They did so, despite Hurts staying awake for 36 hours, which was a decision the doctors made to avoid complications from the clot. He played, the Eagles lost, and now, a much more serious problem has been revealed.

Hurts has now been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in both lungs, ruling him out for the 2026 season, as reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

The Eagles had initially revealed that Hurts had a superficial blood clot in his left calf on October 15, forcing him to miss the game against the Panthers, which Philadelphia lost 25-14, extending its losing streak to four games. The mood was already grim in Philly. But the news that Hurts would now miss months of action, coupled with the circumstances surrounding the chain of events, has turned the situation into something much larger.

It all began on October 4, when Hurts was cleated in his left calf during the Eagles’ loss to the Rams. He played through the game but sought treatment four days later after experiencing discomfort. Although he was added to the injury report, he practised fully and travelled to England with his teammates on October 10 for the NFL’s London game. That’s when things took a turn for the worse.

After the flight and the team’s walkthrough in London, doctors performed an ultrasound on Hurts’ calf and found a small blood clot near the skin’s surface. He was admitted to a London hospital and stayed there until 4 AM on October 11. After consulting with UK specialists, the medical team cleared him to play, reportedly believing that keeping his leg active would help. However, Hurts was also reportedly told not to sleep through the night because of the risks associated with the clot, per NFL analyst Tom Pelissero.

He took the field against the Jaguars and played the entire game, which the Eagles lost 19-17. He then boarded a 7.5-hour flight back to Philadelphia with his teammates, which was an extremely dangerous thing to do.

Long flights can slow blood flow in the legs due to prolonged sitting, potentially increasing the risk of an existing clot worsening. While it remains unclear whether the flight contributed to Hurts’ condition, the discovery of more serious blood clots in his lungs days later has raised questions about the decision to let him play and travel.

The Eagles released a statement on Monday, October 19, saying, “Jalen was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis. After further testing and monitoring, the current diagnosis is a deep vein thrombosis, as well as bilateral pulmonary emboli.

“He is clinically stable and has no significant functional limitations. His treatment should only involve anticoagulation (i.e., ‘blood thinners’). During this time, he will not be allowed to participate in any contact activities, including football.”

The organization stated that Jalen would make a full recovery and resume training once he stops taking blood thinners. He will continue to be involved in non-football-related activities with the Eagles in the meantime.

Now, Philly will rely on a backup quarterback for the remainder of the season, sitting at 2-4 after starting with two wins. Hurts was impressive in both games, throwing for 203 yards and three touchdowns without an interception in the opener against the Commanders, earning a 122.2 passer rating in a 24-22 victory. He followed that up with 264 passing yards and two touchdowns on 37 attempts, overcoming two interceptions to guide the Eagles to a 24-20 win over the Titans.

Thereafter, the Eagles went into a slump, which began with defeats to the Bears and the Rams, both games in which Hurts wasn’t quite at his best. He then started in the team’s 19-17 loss in London, completing 21 of 40 passes for 220 yards and one touchdown, which will now be his last of the season.

Since then, the Eagles and their medical staff received criticism for allowing Jalen Hurts to play against the Jaguars despite determining his injury a day before the matchup. Shannon Sharpe called out the team’s decision, pointing out how lethal a blood clot can be.

“Y’all mean to tell me this man had a blood clot, and y’all put it out there on the field?” Sharpe said on his Nightcap podcast. “Do you know people can die from blood clots? They discovered the blood clot on Saturday, and they cleared him to play. You see what’s important to them?

“They’re quick to tell you you can’t do any more harm. You can’t hurt it anymore. Bro, you could die from a blood clot. So I’m just trying to figure out. What’s the difference? So what transpired to see now you say he’s out compared to the blood clot that he had Saturday when you saw it?”

Blood clots that travel to the lungs can be life-threatening, but Hurts was reported to be clinically stable, and there is no evidence that he was close to dying, as Sharpe feared. That said, although the Eagles said he was cleared to play on medical grounds, questions remain about whether the decision was influenced by the pressure to have their star quarterback on the field. After all, Hurts is the $255 million franchise star player.

The Eagles’ struggles without Jalen Hurts under center against the Panthers were obvious. Backup quarterback Tanner McKee started, completing 26-of-45 passes for 215 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions, while taking three sacks. The Eagles, however, lost 25-14.

Amid this, Hurts’ injury has become a league-wide concern for players’ safety. Ahead of the Week 7 matchup, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott shared his concerns about the risk and called the situation frightening.

“It’s scary when you get things like that. Blood clots, you’re talking about someone’s life, especially with the plane trip and all that they took,” said Prescott. “Yeah, it’s scary. If you’re feeling something, speak up about it.

“I’m fortunate I have [my personal physical therapist] Luke Miller. He’s on things before I’m on things at times. I try to blow things off, and he’s like, ‘No, no, let’s look at this. Let me get a better check on it.’ I encourage people to be open about their body and learn about their body.”

There have been other scary blood clot incidents in the NFL. Former Cincinnati Bengals center Billy Price, a first-round pick in 2018, was forced to retire at just 29 after undergoing emergency surgery for a pulmonary embolism involving a large clot that blocked blood flow to both lungs.

Although the surgery saved his life, the need for blood thinners and the risk of potentially fatal internal bleeding from a football collision meant he could no longer safely play.

For now, Hurts will focus on his recovery, while the Eagles try to save their season without their star quarterback. But questions about the decision to let him play in London are unlikely to go away. The Eagles may have to dig deeper and explain why they believed Hurts was fit to play. Until then, doubts over how they handled the situation will remain.