Jalen Hurts Diagnosed with DVT and Pulmonary Emboli — Out for the 2026 Season; Eagles Face Immediate Football
The Philadelphia Eagles say Jalen Hurts has deep-vein thrombosis in his left calf and multiple pulmonary emboli.
By SLAM Intel Desk · 5 min read · Updated Oct 20, 2026, 7:25 PM EDT
Reported · Published
The 1–10 score is editorial significance. Measured changes below require source-linked records; the score does not claim a change in win probability or medical severity.
Lede: A diagnosis that removes the Eagles’ centerpiece
Jalen Hurts has been diagnosed with a deep vein thrombosis in his left calf and multiple pulmonary emboli in both lungs, the Eagles and Hurts’ agent announced this week. The team says he is clinically stable but will be treated with anticoagulation and will not be allowed to participate in any contact activities — a medical reality that has effectively ruled him out for the rest of the 2026 season.
The update rewrites Philadelphia’s immediate chances: the club placed Hurts on injured reserve, and backup Tanner McKee started the Week 6 loss that followed. The medical facts — not a torn ligament or bone — are what force the roster decision: blood thinners and contact football don’t mix.
What happened and how it progressed
According to the team statement and subsequent reporting, Hurts first reported calf issues after being cleated in Week 4. Specialists in London initially diagnosed a superficial vein thrombosis on Oct. 10. After Hurts traveled and played in London, follow-up testing indicated the clot had moved into deeper veins and that emboli had reached both lungs, prompting the Eagles to rule him out and place him on injured reserve.
Multiple outlets cite the club and Hurts’ agent in describing that sequence — the move from a superficial clot to deep-vein thrombosis and then pulmonary emboli is the key clinical change that altered the team’s actions.
Immediate football consequences
Losing a top-10 quarterback in mid-October remakes the Eagles’ season plan. Short-term, the offense will operate under a backup quarterback and likely a more conservative play slate while Hurts is off the field. Longer-term roster moves — from QB depth to personnel aimed at protecting a backup — become urgent questions.
Beyond Xs and Os, the front office must balance competitive urgency and roster construction with the reality that Hurts’ return date depends on his medical course, not a schedule that coaches can control.
Bigger questions: clearance, protocol and the timeline ahead
Several unresolved issues matter beyond Sunday’s game. Who evaluated and cleared Hurts to travel and play after the initial London diagnosis? Will the team or league review the timeline and decisions? And critically, how long will Hurts remain on anticoagulation before he can safely resume contact football?
The available reporting establishes what the club has announced medically but leaves open institutional and procedural questions that could prompt further disclosure or review.
SLAM Explains
The complicated part, made simple.
Why anticoagulation takes a player out of contact sports
Blood thinners reduce the body’s ability to form clots, which is good for treating DVT and pulmonary embolism but raises bleeding risk. Because contact football carries significant risk of trauma and internal bleeding, teams will not clear a player for practices or games while he is on therapeutic anticoagulation.
Why it matters here
Understanding this explains why Hurts’ diagnosis immediately becomes a season-ending issue even if he otherwise feels fine — the medication, not only the clots, prevents him from taking the field.
Sources and attribution
- NFLPublished Oct 19, 2026, 10:33 AM EDT
Reporting attributed to NFL.
- CBS SportsPublished Oct 19, 2026, 3:33 PM EDT
Reporting attributed to CBS Sports.
- Yahoo SportsPublished Oct 20, 2026, 11:19 AM EDT
Reporting attributed to Yahoo Sports.
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