Eagles QB Jalen Hurts to miss rest of 2026 season after

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is sidelined for the remainder of the 2026 season after developing blood clots following a calf injury.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will miss the remainder of the 2026 season after a left calf injury escalated into deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, according to joint statements released on Monday by the team and his agent, Nicole Lynn, with news breaking on Monday morning via ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The 28-year-old signal-caller is clinically stable, experiencing no significant functional limitations, and will be treated exclusively with anticoagulation medication. Because blood thinners strictly prohibit players from participating in contact sports, Hurts faces an indefinite recovery timeline that effectively sidelines him for the rest of the year, though NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport revealed that Hurts is expected to recover after three months of treatment.

Rapoport also reported that the blood clot was provoked which means there was a cause—getting cleated in his calf—which indicates it is a solvable issue with treatment and care.

That medical reality halts the Eagles' season in its tracks and leaves a sputtering 2-4 team searching for answers just weeks after a controversial trip to London. It also raises immediate questions about how a superficial leg ailment diagnosed during an international trip could travel undetected to both of his lungs, leaving fans and analysts to scrutinize the sequence of events that brought the franchise's franchise player to this juncture.

Video: Jalen Hurts expected to miss rest of season with blood clots in lungs — CBS Sports (YouTube)

The Eagles sit 1.5 games behind the division-leading Giants in the NFC East after losing four consecutive games for the first time since 2020.

How did a calf injury in London lead to pulmonary emboli?

The timeline of Hurts' diagnosis traces back to the Eagles' loss to the Los Angeles Rams, where Hurts reported being cleated in the left calf. He was a full participant in practice leading up to Philadelphia's transatlantic flight to the English capital for a matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. On Saturday, October 10, specialists in London screened his calf and returned an initial diagnosis of left superficial vein thrombosis.

What followed was an extraordinary sequence of pre-game preparation. The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero posted on X, How committed is Jalen Hurts to football? After initially being diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in London, doctors told him not to sleep as a precaution, so he had been awake for roughly 36 hours when he started against the Jaguars, throwing for 220 yards and a TD.

The Eagles' medical staff and independent doctors in London concluded that activity and mobility were important and that Jalen could safely play. Hurts started against Jacksonville and threw for 220 yards and a touchdown.

The condition only worsened after the team returned to Philadelphia. Following a full practice session on Wednesday, Hurts underwent a second ultrasound that revealed the blood clot had traveled up his bloodstream. The Eagles announced plans to place Hurts on injured reserve after consultations with numerous doctors and experts spanned across the weekend.

Cleated in the calf during a loss to the Los Angeles Rams
Diagnosed with superficial vein thrombosis in London on Saturday, October 10
Kept awake for roughly 36 hours under doctor's advisory before facing Jacksonville
Underwent a follow-up ultrasound in Philadelphia that revealed deep vein thrombosis

What is Jalen Hurts' medical prognosis and when can he return?

Nicole Lynn posted on X detailing the specifics of the diagnosis and recovery path:

The current diagnosis is a deep vein thrombosis, as well as bilateral pulmonary emboli. He is clinically stable and has no significant functional limitations. His treatment should only involve anticoagulation (i.e. blood thinners). During this time, he will not be allowed to participate in any contact activities, including football.
Nicole Lynn via X

Jalen's prognosis is very good, and we expect a full recovery. We anticipate that he will have the opportunity to resume contact football activities when off the blood thinners. In the meantime, he will remain active around the team and continue to condition. More importantly, we anticipate that he will have no long-term effects. We are thinking of Jalen and looking forward to a strong recovery.
Nicole Lynn via X

The abrupt loss of their Super Bowl-winning quarterback leaves a massive void on the field and in the locker room. Hurts is in the middle of a five-year, $255m extension, including $179.3m guaranteed, that takes him through the 2028 season. Through five games this season, he completed 57.8% of his passes for 933 yards and eight touchdowns with three interceptions, while missing no more than two games in a season since becoming the full-time starter in 2021.

Who takes over the offense while Hurts recovers?

Philadelphia will turn to Tanner McKee to pilot the offense moving forward. A 2023 sixth-round pick, McKee made his first start of the season in Sunday's 25-14 loss to the Carolina Panthers, completing 26 of 45 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. The 26-year-old McKee is now 1-2 as a starter in his NFL career.

The franchise has also fortified its depth behind center. Last week, the Eagles signed strong-armed third-year quarterback Joe Milton off of the Dallas Cowboys' practice squad, and rookie fifth-round pick Cole Payton remains among the team's quarterback options.

That quarterback room must steady a ship that is taking on water across multiple positions. The Eagles have been without star running back Saquon Barkley for their last two games due to a hamstring injury, though top receiver DeVonta Smith returned against Carolina after a two-game absence for the same issue. In Hurts' absence, McKee played a solid game, but the Eagles still struggled to run the ball without Barkley, as Dameon Pierce rushed 12 times for 35 yards and a touchdown.

Will the franchise face scrutiny over its medical handling?

The central counter-view to the unfolding crisis rests on the rigorous defense of the medical protocols followed in both London and Philadelphia. Independent doctors and team specialists cleared Hurts to play against Jacksonville after concluding that mobility was safe, and the organization acted swiftly once the follow-up ultrasound revealed internal movement in the clotting. The swift transition from a superficial vein issue to deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli underscores how unpredictable vascular health can be, even for elite professional athletes undergoing constant monitoring.

That leaves the organization balancing transparency with a mounting wave of public questions over the decision to clear a player who had spent the preceding night undergoing hospital observation and sleep deprivation. For now, the franchise insists that health and safety remain its highest priority as it manages a critical transition under center.

Readers should watch for updates from team headquarters regarding Hurts' adherence to his blood thinner regimen and any further roster moves the front office makes to support McKee as the Eagles prepare for their schedule.