Jalen Hurts is officially out for the rest of the season after doctors found multiple blood clots in his lungs, a diagnosis that has rocked the league and now triggered a full-blown investigation the NFL initially seemed to resist. This ain’t just a tough injury, folks, this is a major player safety issue that has the NFLPA demanding answers right now.
The Union Demands Answers After Season-Ending Diagnosis
This ain’t just a tough injury, folks. Hurts, at 28, is now on injured reserve, diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. That means a blood clot traveled from his legs straight to his lungs, forcing him to miss the entire remainder of the season. It’s serious, and it raises immediate questions about how this all went down.
The players’ union, the NFLPA, ain’t happy, and frankly, who can blame ’em? They called for a full investigation, pointing to reports that the league wasn’t going to punish the Eagles for how they handled things. The union explicitly stated they weren’t even “aware of any NFL investigation” and that the “league previously informed the union that it did not plan to review the care he received.” Big red flags, right? They’re saying, loud and clear, that “before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred. Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward.” It’s tough to argue with that.
Goodell’s Sudden U-Turn and the London Timeline
Now, here’s where it gets wild. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, after all this noise from the union, suddenly announced Wednesday that the league “welcomes an investigation.” Wait, what? This comes just after Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer, passionately defended the Eagles’ medical staff. Sills claimed “our protocols were incredibly good there” and “the protocols were followed.” He even went so far as to call the idea that physicians would put a player in harm’s way “nonsense.” Sills noted that officials were in touch with team doctors and trainers, as well as the Cleveland Clinic in London.
So, what’s the timeline we’re looking at here? Turns out, back on October 10th in London, an ultrasound revealed Hurts already had a superficial blood clot in his leg. The Eagles’ medical staff, along with London-based doctors, reviewed those results. Their conclusion? “Activity and mobility were important and that Jalen could safely play” against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 5.
Reports from Ian Rapoport stated Hurts was in the hospital late in London that night. He didn’t get back to his hotel until 3 a.m. local time, managed to sleep until the team left for the stadium at 10:30 a.m., and then napped until pregame warmups. Seriously, a superficial clot in his leg, a hospital visit, a 3 AM hotel return, and then cleared to play a full game? This whole situation just feels… off.
This isn’t just about one player, it’s about player safety across the entire league. The NFLPA wants facts, and so should every fan. Goodell says they welcome the investigation, but after initially signaling no review, you gotta wonder what’s really going on behind the scenes. This story isn’t going away anytime soon, and everyone will be watching what comes next for player care protocols in the NFL.
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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