Jalen Hurts’ blood clot case will ‘put the league on alert’ going forward, famed agent Leigh Steinberg says
Agent Leigh Steinberg said Jalen Hurts’ blood clot case is likely to put the NFL and quarterback agents on alert about their role in protecting players’ health. He said he would have contacted team doctors for answers, while stressing that specialists must assess whether the Eagles’ medical decisions were appropriate.
Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season after tests found deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in both lungs. The Eagles said he was cleared to play in London on 11 October after an ultrasound found a superficial clot in his left calf; a follow-up scan on 14 October showed it had moved, and he went on injured reserve on 17 October. The NFL and NFL Players Association announced a joint review on 25 October, though its formal launch had not been confirmed; Hurts has been described as clinically stable and expected to make a full recovery.
In short
- Steinberg says Hurts’ case will put the league on alert.
- Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season.
- The NFL and players’ union are reviewing his medical care.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A serious clotting condition discovered after Hurts had been cleared to play raises legitimate questions about how teams monitor evolving symptoms and communicate medical risks. A joint review could identify gaps in protocols and help protect players, while agents may reasonably seek answers when a client’s health is at stake.
The case against
The later diagnosis does not by itself show that the Eagles’ earlier decisions were inappropriate: the club had an ultrasound and a follow-up scan, and assessing whether its care met medical standards requires specialist review. Any changes to league procedures should follow the evidence, preserving clinicians’ ability to make case-specific judgements rather than treating one case as proof of a wider failure.
Explained simply
Jalen Hurts is the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback, the player who leads the team’s offence and directs its passing plays. Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a deep vein, while clots in the lungs can be a serious complication.
NFL players’ health is managed by team medical staff, while the league and the NFL Players Association set rules and protections for players. Agents such as Leigh Steinberg represent players and may raise concerns with teams, but medical specialists assess treatment decisions.
The case matters because it may prompt closer attention to how possible blood clots are checked and how medical concerns are handled before a player returns to the field. It also raises questions about how the league, teams, player representatives and the players’ union share responsibility for health safeguards.