Jalen Hurts is officially out for the rest of the season after the Philadelphia Eagles announced this past Monday that he’s been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and blood clots in both lungs. This isn’t just a regular injury, and popular ESPN personality Chris “Mad Dog” Russo absolutely went off on the NFL and the Eagles for how they’ve handled the entire situation, questioning everything about player safety.
A Seriously Shaky Timeline For Hurts
This whole mess kicked off when Hurts traveled to London for the Eagles’ game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on October 11. The Eagles reported an ultrasound on October 10 found a superficial blood clot in his calf, but medical personnel gave him the green light to play anyway. He played, then headed back home with the team. Things got worse quickly. Hurts was then ruled out for the following week’s game against the Carolina Panthers after another ultrasound showed that clot had moved. And then came Monday’s bombshell: further testing revealed not just the deep vein thrombosis, but bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning blood clots in both his lungs. This is serious, season-ending stuff. To make matters even more complicated, The Ringer’s NFL insider Tom Pelissero initially reported that Hurts was allegedly awake for about 36 hours before that Jacksonville game, supposedly because doctors advised him not to sleep as a precaution. That report got clarified later after Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, said he *did* get some sleep after leaving the hospital, and the NFL even disputed the claim about doctors telling him to stay awake. What a whirlwind of conflicting info.
Mad Dog Unleashes On The NFL’s “Horrendous Job”
Russo, on Wednesday’s “First Take,” didn’t hold back. He slammed the Eagles, saying they “did a horrendous job” with Hurts’ diagnosis. And he didn’t stop there. He went straight for the NFL, flat out stating he doesn’t trust them. Think about it, the dude called out the league’s commitment to player safety, throwing shade at their history with grass fields, their slow response to CTE until they were “forced to,” and their push for an 18th game. “I don’t trust them,” Russo declared, and honestly, can you blame him after seeing this unfold? He also ripped into the Eagles for making coach Nick Sirianni answer tough medical questions from a “hungry media” in Philadelphia. Russo believes they should have had a medical professional, like a trainer or team doctor, out there instead. He called that move “a disgrace!”
ESPN’s Awkward Spot And The Bigger Picture
Russo’s comments put ESPN in a seriously tricky spot. We all know ESPN has a massive deal with the NFL, and they’re set to feature the Super Bowl this coming February with huge promotional campaigns and broadcasts where Russo himself is definitely going to participate. His direct criticism of the league highlights this super awkward line between sports media just reporting the facts and the NFL’s massive business interests. For Russo, though, this is all about whether the league’s actions actually align with their public promises to protect players. With Hurts’ season ending due to blood clots that seemingly moved after he played a game, it’s a question everyone should be asking.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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