Jalen Hurts blood clot investigation to raise questions about Eagles’ London trip and medical screening timing
The NFL and NFL Players Association have begun a joint investigation into how Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood clots were discovered and whether the team followed required medical procedures. The review follows the Eagles’ decision to place him on injured reserve, and may examine the timing of his medical screening and the possible relevance of the team’s London travel.
Hurts was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in both lungs, and is taking blood thinners; he cannot play until the clots are treated and he has stopped the medication. He is expected to miss the rest of the regular season, possibly longer. The Eagles have offered few details, while the NFL’s chief medical officer has expressed confidence in the team’s medical staff; the union requested the investigation under the collective bargaining agreement, and no completion date has been set.
In short
- The NFL and union are investigating Hurts’ blood clot care.
- The review may consider screening timing and the London trip.
- Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the regular season.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
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The case for
A joint investigation is justified because serious blood clots raise questions about when symptoms were recognised, what screening took place and whether required procedures were followed. Establishing a clear timeline, including whether London travel was relevant, could protect players and strengthen confidence in the league’s medical safeguards.
The case against
The investigation should not imply wrongdoing before the facts are known: the diagnosis and treatment may have followed appropriate medical practice, and the league’s chief medical officer has expressed confidence in the Eagles’ staff. Medical details are sensitive, so the review should respect Hurts’ privacy and focus on whether rules were followed rather than treating travel or screening timing as evidence of a failure.
Explained simply
The Philadelphia Eagles are an American football team, and Jalen Hurts is their starting quarterback, the player who leads the offence. The NFL runs the league, while the NFL Players Association represents its players and negotiates their working conditions with the league.
Deep vein thrombosis is a blood clot in a deep vein; clots can also travel to the lungs and obstruct blood flow. Treatment can include blood-thinning medicine, which affects when a player can safely return to contact sport.
The NFL and the players’ union set medical and workplace rules through their collective bargaining agreement. Their review concerns how those rules apply to the discovery and treatment of Hurts’ condition, including the timing of screening and any relevance of the team’s travel to London.