NFL Defends Eagles' Handling of Jalen Hurts' Blood Clots Amidst NFLPA Disagreement

The NFL stated it is satisfied with how the Philadelphia Eagles managed quarterback Jalen Hurts' blood clot issue and criticized reports suggesting otherwise. However, the NFL Players Association (NFLPA) released a conflicting statement, expressing a lack of awareness regarding any league review of the care Hurts received.

Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL's chief medical officer, asserted full confidence in the Eagles' medical staff, describing their approach as "very conservative, very patient-focused and appropriately guarded at every step." He noted that deep vein thrombosis cases like Hurts' are rare in the league, occurring in the "low single digits" annually. Sills added that all such cases are reviewed and that the medical team acted with "an abundance of caution and with a tremendous high degree of suspicion" in identifying and treating Hurts, utilizing "state-of-the-art imaging." He also mentioned a league committee that collaborates with the Players Association to learn from such situations.

Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president of communications, public affairs and policy, also defended the handling of the situation. He stated that the league had spoken with Eagles staff, medical personnel on the ground, and independent hospital doctors to gain a "complete understanding of the course of events."

Despite these assurances from league officials, the NFLPA stated, "The NFLPA is not aware of any NFL investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts." The union further indicated that the league had previously informed them it did not intend to review the care Hurts received. The NFLPA called for a "full investigation into what occurred" to ensure players receive the highest level of care moving forward and characterized reports suggesting mishandling as "considerable and uninformed speculation."