Jalen Hurts will miss the remainder of the NFL season as doctors discovered his blood clot condition was far more severe than initially diagnosed.
The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, 26, had been expected to return within weeks after what the team first called a left calf superficial vein thrombosis. That diagnosis came from specialists in London following the Eagles’ October game against the Jaguars, which became Hurts’ final appearance of the 2026 campaign. Further testing revealed the true scope of the problem: deep vein thrombosis combined with bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning multiple blood clots had reached both of his lungs.
“Jalen was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis,” the Eagles said in their statement. “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’).”
The team projected Hurts would be sidelined until mid-January, well past the end of the regular season. The NFL season concludes in October for Hurts, cutting short a year that began with championship aspirations for the defending NFC champions.
The medical restrictions are absolute during his recovery window. “During this time, he will not be allowed to participate in any contact activities, including football,” the statement continued. “Jalen’s prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery. We anticipate that he will have the opportunity to resume contact football activities when off the blood thinners. In the meantime, he will remain active around the team and continue to condition. More importantly, we anticipate that he will have no long-term effects.”
Hurts had already been placed on injured reserve, which mandates a minimum four-week absence. The updated diagnosis extends that timeline dramatically and transforms what appeared to be a manageable injury into a season-ending health crisis.
The severity of his condition before the London game became clearer through additional reporting. ESPN.com noted that Hurts remained hospitalized until 4 a.m. The night before facing the Jaguars, with medical staff determining it was too dangerous for him to sleep given his condition. He still played in the contest, a loss that now stands as his last action of the year.
Tanner McKee has taken over as the Eagles’ starting quarterback in Hurts’ absence. The second-year player out of Stanford struggled in his first start Sunday against Carolina, completing 26 of 45 passes for 215 yards with one touchdown in a 25-14 defeat that dropped Philadelphia further behind in the standings.
The Eagles now face the challenge of staying competitive without their franchise quarterback while their medical staff monitors Hurts’ anticoagulation therapy. The team emphasized that despite the frightening nature of pulmonary emboli, his long-term outlook remains positive once he completes treatment and clears the blood thinner regimen.