Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is confronting a significant setback after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his calf, an injury that will sideline him for at least one game and casts uncertainty over his availability for the rest of the NFL season. At 28, Hurts is currently in the third year of a five-year, $255 million contract that extends through 2028. However, the structure of the deal—with guaranteed money dropping sharply after this season—places considerable pressure on this campaign to be a defining one in Hurts’s tenure with the Eagles.
Hurts’s career has been marked by both high achievement and ongoing scrutiny. Although he led the Eagles to consecutive NFC championships and earned Super Bowl MVP honors, questions about his passing accuracy, tendency to run, and leadership style have followed him from college through the professional ranks. His career trajectory began at Alabama, where he was famously replaced at halftime of the 2018 national championship game by Tua Tagovailoa. Hurts subsequently transferred to Oklahoma, delivered a standout season, and was selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL draft by Philadelphia, despite a recent long-term extension signed by then-starter Carson Wentz.
Since taking over as the Eagles’ full-time starter in 2021, Hurts has guided the team to the playoffs each year, demonstrating durability with at least 15 starts each season. He achieved a breakout year in 2022, finishing second in MVP voting behind Patrick Mahomes and third in offensive player of the year considerations. That season culminated in a narrowly lost Super Bowl, where despite out-performing Mahomes, a costly fumble contributed to the Eagles’ defeat. The Eagles subsequently avenged the loss by defeating the Kansas City Chiefs decisively in a 2024 rematch.
The past two seasons have been more challenging. The Eagles’ offense regressed in 2025, resulting in a first-round playoff exit at home against the San Francisco 49ers. This season, under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion, Philadelphia has struggled offensively, ranking among the league’s worst through five games and holding a 2-3 record. The team’s inability to maintain late leads has drawn additional scrutiny to Hurts’s performance amid wider offensive inconsistency.
Statistically, Hurts has never been considered a premier pocket passer. Over his career, he has completed 64% of his passes with a 93.8 passer rating. This year, those numbers have declined to a 57.8 completion percentage and an 84.7 rating. While his ball security has generally been solid, exceptions exist, such as the 15 interceptions thrown in 2023. The frequent turnover of offensive coordinators—with six in seven seasons—has complicated the offensive scheme, and questions remain about Hurts’s ability to operate effectively under center, read defenses, and handle blitzes.
Hurts’s effectiveness has often been linked to the talented supporting cast around him. The Eagles once boasted one of the league’s strongest offensive lines, anchored by center Jason Kelce until his 2024 retirement and right tackle Lane Johnson, who retired recently. Star wide receiver A.J. Brown was also a key contributor until relations between the two reportedly soured, leading Brown to request a trade. Running back Saquon Barkley posted a historic season in 2024, further bolstering the offense. Now, with the supporting personnel diminished, the pressure on Hurts to carry the team has increased substantially.
Hurts’s rushing production, once a strength, has declined over the past two seasons. Though he averaged as much as 50 yards per game on the ground from 2021 to 2024, last year’s 26.3 yards per game dropped further to 21.4 this season before the recent calf injury. His reluctance to run has drawn questions, given that his ability to improvise with his legs had previously been seen as a critical element in extending plays and sustaining drives.
Known for his quiet, reserved demeanor, Hurts leads primarily by example rather than through vocal presence, which has reportedly drawn mixed reactions within the team. Despite calls from some quarters for him to be more outgoing, his character, discipline, and determination have not been in doubt. The quarterback owns a 59-28 regular season record and is 6-4 in playoff games, underscoring a track record of success that remains significant.
As Hurts addresses his health issues and the Eagles look to stabilize their offense, the trajectory of his future with Philadelphia remains uncertain, hinging on his recovery and ability to regain his on-field effectiveness amid evolving team dynamics.