The Philadelphia Eagles will not face disciplinary action over their handling of quarterback Jalen Hurts’s blood clot condition, a source familiar with the situation said Tuesday. The individual, who spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the confidential nature of discussions between the NFL and the team, confirmed that league officials reviewed the matter thoroughly.
Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, provided a detailed defense of the Eagles’ medical response during the league’s annual fall meeting. He emphasized that the team’s approach was cautious, patient-centered, and medically sound. “I don’t think you can take that outcome and say there was something flawed about the process,” Sills stated, underscoring that sometimes even appropriate medical care cannot prevent the progression of certain conditions.
Hurts was placed on injured reserve after a blood clot in his left calf subsequently traveled to his lungs, leading to a diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary embolisms. The Eagles and Hurts’s agent, Nicole Lynn, disclosed the severity of his condition on Monday.
NFL executive vice president Jeff Miller addressed recent reports about Hurts’s activity last weekend, which had stirred speculation. Miller disputed "uninformed speculation" regarding Hurts’s movements, clarifying that the player returned to his hotel, rested for seven to eight hours, and later went to the stadium. Miller said the league had coordinated closely with the Eagles’ medical personnel, as well as independent doctors and hospitals involved in Hurts’s care, to gain a full understanding of the timeline and treatment.
Sills also noted that the NFL and the players’ union continuously monitor blood clot issues and carefully evaluate all medical decisions related to such cases. While he declined to provide specific medical details about Hurts’s condition due to privacy concerns, he reiterated that blood clot treatment involves considering numerous variables.
Dr. Caron Rockman, a vascular surgeon with nearly three decades of experience and current chair at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, commented on the situation. Based on publicly available information, she found no indication of negligence by the Eagles. Rockman described the case as complex and one requiring clinical judgment. She added that superficial vein thrombosis does not necessarily preclude activities such as flying, noting treatment decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.
Hurts’s ongoing treatment includes the administration of blood thinners, and he is prohibited from participating in any football activities until medically cleared. He played in London against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 11, three days after initially reporting symptoms to medical staff following practice. Specialists in London diagnosed him with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis at that time.
Sills praised the medical vigilance shown, citing the use of advanced imaging and conservative care throughout Hurts’s evaluation and treatment. He reiterated that all decisions were made with the player’s health as the foremost priority. “The notion that there are external factors or that any of our physicians would put a player in harm’s way – that’s nonsense,” he said, rejecting claims that football considerations influenced the medical response.