Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is done for the season after it was revealed that what was initially thought to be a superficial vein thrombosis in his left calf is actually a potentially life-threatening deep vein thrombosis, as well as bilateral pulmonary emboli.
The medical term for blood clots in his lungs.
The Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, put out a joint statement on the star quarterback’s condition.
“Jalen was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis,” the statement read. “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 statement continued, “During this time, he will not be allowed to participate in any contact activities, including football. 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.”
In a separate report, ESPN claims Hurts did not sleep the night before the Eagles game against the Jaguars in London because doctors told him it could risk his health.
This new information raises questions about how the team handled news of Hurts’ medical condition.
If Hurts’ condition was serious enough to keep him awake, how was he allowed to play? And if the initial diagnosis was a superficial vein thrombosis, why didn’t the medical team take the extra step of ruling him out as a precaution, knowing the vein thrombosis could have masked a more serious issue?
With the Eagles season effectively over after the loss of Hurts, and with the sudden retirement of future Hall of Famer Lane Johnson, the Eagles will face these questions and many more.
