The NFL concluded the process to clear Hurts for Week 5 in London was handled appropriately
Oct 20, 2026 at 1:43 pm ET • 1 min read
The Philadelphia Eagles will not face any punishment from the NFL regarding how they handled Jalen Hurts' medical situation, according to The Athletic. On Monday, the team announced that Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season after blood clots were discovered in his lungs.
The league has reportedly concluded that the process which led to Hurts being cleared to play in Week 5 vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars in London with a superficial blood clot "was handled appropriately." The league will not levy any punishment on the franchise for how it handled its medical process, or for Hurts not being given an injury designation ahead of the game.
On Thursday of last week, the Eagles issued a statement saying that a superficial blood clot on Hurts' calf they had been tracking experienced movement, leading the team to rule him out for their Week 6 matchup against the Carolina Panthers. The Eagles also revealed that the NFL was made aware of the situation last week. It was the first of several confusing developments that led to more questions than answers.
Just days after Hurts' blood clot diagnosis became public, it was reported that the team did not plan to place him on injured reserve. Hours later, Hurts was being placed on injured reserve. Then came the bombshell on Monday, when a follow-up scan revealed Hurts' superficial vein thrombosis had developed into deep vein thrombosis, including "bilateral pulmonary emboli" -- meaning blood clots were now in both of Hurts' lungs.
It's not exactly understood why Hurts was allowed to play a football game and take a long, international flight with a superficial blood clot, and if the Eagles' decisions led to his situation becoming more serious. But the NFL has concluded they took the appropriate steps in handling the issue.
