NFLPA calls for full investigation into how Philadelphia Eagles handled Jalen Hurts' blood clots
The NFL Players Association is calling for a full investigation into how the Philadelphia Eagles handled Jalen Hurts' blood clots.
"The NFLPA is not aware of any NFL investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts," an NFLPA spokesperson said Tuesday. "In fact, the league previously informed the union that it did not plan to review the care he received. Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred. Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward."
Meanwhile, the NFL staunchly defended the Eagles' handling of Hurts.
A person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that the Eagles were not being disciplined for their actions with Hurts. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because conversations between the league and team were to remain private.
Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL's chief medical officer, offered a passionate defense of how the Eagles treated Hurts, following a statement from the league that said officials had been in contact with Philadelphia's medical personnel and the Cleveland Clinic in London throughout the process.
"I have complete confidence in the Eagles' medical staff and their handling of this situation, and I would characterize their work as very conservative, very patient-focused and appropriately guarded at every step," Sills said at the league's annual fall meeting. "I don't think you can take that outcome and say there was something flawed about the process. Sometimes in medicine, we do all the right things and diseases progress and other things develop. ...
"In this case, everyone was incredibly conservative and incredibly vigilant and was very quick to make diagnoses of these conditions that might not have been diagnosed in a nonathlete."
Multiple NFL insiders reported Monday that Hurts was told not to sleep in London after receiving his first blood clot diagnosis. The report was later clarified, and the NFL also refuted it.
"No one told Hurts not to go to sleep," an NFL spokesperson said. "All players and staff were told to try to stay awake later into Saturday evening as the Eagles didn't have a bye week following the game. The team was leaving after the London game and trying to stay on a regular sleep."
Hurts is on injured reserve and expected to miss the rest of the season after a blood clot in his left calf traveled to his lungs. The Eagles and agent Nicole Lynn on Monday said Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli.
His treatment involves blood thinners, and Hurts will not be allowed to participate in any football activities until he is off them.
Hurts played in London against Jacksonville on Oct. 11, three days after informing medical staff of the injury after practice. He was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis.
Hurts is clinically stable and expected to make a full recovery.
"We anticipate that he will have no long-term effects. We are thinking of Jalen and looking forward to a strong recovery," a joint statement from the Eagles and Lynn read in part.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni declined to get into specifics Monday about how the team handled Hurts' blood clots, including allowing him to play against the Jaguars and fly back from London.
"Guys, I'm not a medical expert," Sirianni said. "I lean on our guys in all those situations. I'm a football coach. I lean on our medical experts in every situation. I have full faith and trust in them. It's not just me that has major care for our players; it's them as well. So, we are all there, and I'm glad to be part of an organization that cares about the guys the way our guys do."
With Hurts out, the Eagles' season is heading in the wrong direction. They're 2-4, injury-riddled and have lost four straight for the first time since 2020, with the Dallas Cowboys coming to Lincoln Financial Field for a prime-time matchup on "Monday Night Football."