Jalen Hurts is officially on injured reserve, announced by the Philadelphia Eagles Saturday afternoon. The reason? That calf injury, which involves a blood clot, took a serious turn with movement detected, sending shockwaves through the team and its fan base. This isn’t just a bump in the road, folks; this is a full-blown crisis hitting an Eagles squad that’s already looking wobbly.
How We Got Here: A Scary Timeline
This whole thing started way back in Week 4, when Hurts informed the Eagles’ training staff that he got cleated in the calf during their game against the Los Angeles Rams. They did an ultrasound, found a superficial blood clot, but the dude was *cleared* to play in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars over in London. Think about that: played across the pond with a clot, albeit superficial! The Eagles confirmed he played without limitation in that game, received treatment Monday and Tuesday, and even practiced in full on Wednesday. Everything seemed okay, right? Wrong. The team’s statement on Thursday afternoon dropped the bomb: “On Wednesday night, a follow-up ultrasound revealed movement in the small blood clot.” That’s the kicker. Movement in a blood clot is no joke, and it immediately put Hurts out for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers. Their highest priority, they said, is his health and safety as they figure out the appropriate course of treatment. You can practically hear the collective gasp from Philly.
Who’s Stepping Up While the Eagles Are Spiraling?
So, with their franchise QB now sidelined on IR, who’s left to lead the charge? Philadelphia’s quarterback room now features third-year Tanner McKee, who has two NFL starts under his belt, and rookie Cole Payton. Talk about a tough spot to be in, especially considering how Hurts himself has been playing this season. Through five games, the three-time Pro Bowler has tallied 933 passing yards, eight passing touchdowns, three interceptions, and an 84.7 passer rating. His completion percentage? A pretty rough 57.8%. Both that passer rating and completion percentage are career lows for him since he became the Eagles’ full-time quarterback back in 2021. He’s added 107 rushing yards and one touchdown on the ground, but even his dual-threat magic hasn’t been enough lately. This team started the season strong, winning their first two games against the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans. But since then? They’ve dropped three consecutive games to the Chicago Bears, Rams, and Jaguars. That loss to Jacksonville was a gut punch, coming courtesy of a 57-yard field goal from Jaguars kicker Cam Little as time expired.
The Eagles are trying to figure out the right course of treatment for Jalen, prioritizing his health, and you know Philly is holding its breath as they roll into Sunday’s game against the Panthers. With McKee and Payton now at the helm and a three-game losing streak hanging heavy, this season got a whole lot tougher for the boys in green.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
Leave a Reply