Jalen Hurts will not play Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles host the Carolina Panthers, after a follow-up ultrasound on his calf turned up movement in a small blood clot that doctors had been monitoring since the team's trip to London. Tanner McKee is expected to start in his place as the Eagles decide what comes next for their quarterback.
The saga traces back to Philadelphia's October 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams, when Hurts told the team's medical staff he had been cleated in the calf area, according to a statement from the Philadelphia Eagles. An ultrasound performed after the team's flight to London revealed a superficial blood clot in his calf, the statement said. Doctors in London determined Hurts could safely play and recommended a follow-up ultrasound within 72 hours of both the game and the return flight to Philadelphia.
Hurts Played Through It Before the New Scan
Hurts was cleared to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London and did so without limitation, per the team's account. He then received treatment Monday and Tuesday after the team returned to Philadelphia and practiced in full on Wednesday, the same statement noted. But a follow-up ultrasound Wednesday night showed movement in the small clot, prompting the Eagles to rule him out for Sunday while they determine the appropriate course of treatment, the team said.
The timing stings for a Philadelphia team that entered the week 2-3 and had dropped three straight games, as NFL.com reported. Hurts has thrown for 933 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions this season with a 57.8% completion rate, the outlet's report added.
McKee Takes Over Under Center
Tanner McKee, who became Philadelphia's backup after the team released Andy Dalton, is expected to start the home game in Hurts' absence, according to ESPN. McKee is 1-1 in two career starts, having completed 54 of 88 passes for 597 yards with five touchdowns against one interception, per a report from Touchdown Wire.
Blood clots remain uncommon among athletes, but can be tied to travel, dehydration, trauma, immobilization, fractures, surgeries and other factors, according to a page from Sports Medicine Today. That same page states that professional athletes lose roughly six months of playing time on average once a clot is diagnosed, though the Eagles have not offered any timetable for Hurts beyond Sunday's absence. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism occur at a rate of one to two cases per 1,000 people annually in the United States, per the same source.
Treatment for clots in athletes generally mirrors treatment in the general population, with anticoagulation and early movement having replaced older bed-rest-centered approaches, according to research cited on PubMed. For now, Philadelphia's statement says only that the team will determine the appropriate course of treatment for Hurts as it prioritizes his health, a message echoed in reporting from WBAL News Radio.
