Eagles Facing Scrutiny Over Jalen Hurts Playing Without Sleep Amidst Blood Clot Diagnosis

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts played in the team's recent loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London despite spending the night before in a hospital and experiencing severe sleep deprivation. The decision for Hurts to play, and the circumstances surrounding it, have drawn criticism from media members and former sports personalities.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Hurts was in the hospital until 4 a.m. the morning of the game and did not sleep, as doing so was reportedly a risk. He played the entire game, during which the Eagles lost to the Jaguars. The quarterback was later ruled out for the season on Monday with blood clots in his left leg and lungs.

This situation has led to widespread questioning about why Hurts was cleared to play. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo expressed concern on X, writing, "Jalen Hurts was overseas, under-rested and dealing with a blood clot while playing without key offensive weapons at his disposal and ran the ball only twice (maybe as a way of self-preservation knowing what he was dealing with). Just one question: Why?"

Former ESPN anchor Linda Cohn also voiced strong criticism, stating on X that "That entire Eagles medical staff should be fired!" She questioned why Hurts was allowed to travel to London and why the team waited to perform an ultrasound until they arrived. The Eagles had initially reported a "superficial blood clot" after an evaluation on the Saturday before the Jaguars game.

However, further testing and monitoring revealed the diagnosis of deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. Hurts' agent, Nicole Lynn, confirmed that his treatment will involve blood thinners and that he is expected to make a full recovery.

The Eagles organization stated that Hurts first reported calf issues on October 8, following an incident in their Week 4 game against the Rams. The team maintains that medical staff and doctors determined he could safely play against Jacksonville, noting that Hurts practiced fully on Wednesday of the following week and that the team remained in communication with the league office.

A follow-up examination on Wednesday reportedly revealed movement in the small blood clot. Despite these health concerns, Hurts completed 21 of 40 passes for 220 yards and a touchdown in the 19-17 loss to the Jaguars. In the previous game against the Panthers, backup quarterback Tanner McKee threw for 215 yards and a touchdown in a 25-14 loss.