Jalen Hurts will miss the rest of the season after doctors discovered multiple blood clots in the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback’s lungs, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Hurts was placed on injured reserve over the weekend, a move that initially meant he would miss at least four games, Fox News reports. He is now expected to remain sidelined indefinitely as he undergoes treatment that will take at least three months and doctors monitor his recovery.
On Oct. 19, the Eagles and Hurts’ agent, Nicole Lynn, released a joint statement confirming that the quarterback had been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and bilateral pulmonary emboli.
The team’s statement detailed Hurts’ diagnosis, treatment and expected recovery:
“Over the past few days, Jalen Hurts has received comprehensive medical evaluations by physician experts. In the interest of transparency, we are providing additional information on the diagnosis and treatment plan related to his condition.
Jalen was initially diagnosed by specialists in London with a left calf superficial vein thrombosis. After further testing and monitoring, the current diagnosis is 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.
Jalen’s progress 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.”
Although Hurts is clinically stable and has no significant functional limitations, he cannot participate in contact football while taking anticoagulants. These medications reduce the blood’s ability to clot, increasing the risk of serious bleeding after a collision or other traumatic injury.
The quarterback was initially diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in his left calf. Further testing revealed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning blood clots are present in both lungs.
The Eagles said Hurts is expected to make a full recovery without long-term effects. He will remain involved with the team and continue conditioning while recovering.
RELATED: 5 Easy Leg Exercises To Ease DVT While Traveling
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a pulmonary embolism (PE) is a type of venous thromboembolism (VTE) that occurs when a blood clot travels through the bloodstream and blocks an artery in the lungs.
Most pulmonary emboli develop when a clot forms in a deep vein, usually in the leg, and then breaks loose and travels to the lungs. This condition is known as deep vein thrombosis.
Common symptoms of a pulmonary embolism include:
Other possible symptoms include:
Pulmonary emboli can be life-threatening because they restrict blood flow through the lungs and can strain the heart. If left untreated, a pulmonary embolism can lead to serious complications, including shock, heart attack or death.
Although most pulmonary emboli originate from clots in the deep veins of the legs, clots can also develop in other parts of the body. In some cases, they form directly in the small blood vessels of the lungs.
Hurts’ diagnosis includes both DVT and bilateral pulmonary emboli. DVT occurs when a clot forms in a deep vein, most commonly in the lower leg, thigh or pelvis. A superficial vein thrombosis, by contrast, affects a vein closer to the surface of the skin.
Black people have up to 60 percent higher rates of life-threatening venous blood clots than white people, according to the National Blood Clot Alliance.
Although superficial clots differ from DVT, medical experts say they should not be dismissed, particularly when symptoms develop or imaging reveals changes in the clot.
“People often don’t think about it in athletes and people that don’t have a lot of the other risk factors, so I think getting the attention out there to symptoms that people should be evaluated with is important for both athletes and non-athletes alike,” Dr. Jordan Schaefer, a hematologist at the University of Michigan Health System and associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, told USA TODAY Sports.
Schaefer noted that clots are more commonly found in the deep-vein system higher up the leg.
The Eagles said a follow-up ultrasound on Oct. 14 revealed movement in the small clot in Hurts’ leg. The quarterback was subsequently ruled out for the team’s game against the Carolina Panthers.
RELATED: 7 Lifestyle Changes That Can Prevent DVT
Treatment depends on the clot’s location, severity and the patient’s overall health. According to the NHLBI, many blood clots can be treated with medication at home, although more serious cases may require hospitalization.
Anticoagulants, commonly known as blood thinners, are frequently prescribed to prevent existing clots from growing and reduce the risk of new ones forming. In certain circumstances, patients who cannot take anticoagulants may have other treatment options, including specialized procedures.
Recovery also involves monitoring for complications and taking steps to reduce the risk of future clots. Potential complications of pulmonary embolism include chronic pulmonary hypertension, a condition involving elevated blood pressure in the arteries supplying the lungs that can eventually strain the heart.
Patients recovering from a blood clot should follow their medical team’s instructions, take prescribed medications and attend recommended follow-up appointments. Depending on their circumstances, doctors may also recommend physical activity, dietary changes and other measures to reduce clotting risks.
Emotional recovery can be important, too. Anxiety, fear and stress may occur after a serious blood clot, and patients should seek support from their health care providers if needed.
Doctors have not publicly established the precise cause of Hurts’ blood clots. However, a calf injury he sustained during a game against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 4 may have contributed to the initial clot.
Hurts sought medical attention after an opponent’s cleat stepped on his calf. Dr. Rushad Patell, a hematologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, explained in an email to USA TODAY Sports that superficial vein thrombosis can vary considerably in severity.
Some cases are relatively low risk and may require only symptom-relieving treatments, such as warm compresses, compression stockings and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.
“Not all blood clots are preventable,” Patell wrote, “particularly when they occur following an injury.”
Trauma can damage the endothelium, the lining of a blood vessel. Damage to this lining is one of three major mechanisms that contribute to blood clot formation.
“It is plausible that a cleat injury could have contributed to the development of a superficial clot,” Patell wrote. “However, without prior imaging, it would be impossible to establish whether the clot was already present or definitively attribute it to the injury.”
Questions have also arisen about whether Hurts should have played against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London on Oct. 11.
The Eagles said their medical staff cleared him to play after an ultrasound the day before the game. According to the team’s statement, doctors advised that mobility and activity were important.
Long periods of travel can also affect blood flow. Schaefer explained that passengers tend to move less during extended flights or bus rides, potentially slowing circulation and increasing the risk of clot formation.
Patell described long-distance travel as a recognized, although relatively weak, risk factor for venous thrombosis.
“It would be difficult to attribute any change in the clot to a single flight, particularly in the setting of a recent injury,” Patell wrote.
Repeat imaging can help doctors track a clot’s development and determine whether a patient’s treatment plan needs to change. Schaefer said a 72-hour interval between examinations can be normal when clinicians are monitoring a clot conservatively.
Hurts is now taking blood thinners, which complicates his return-to-play timeline. Because football involves frequent physical contact, anticoagulants increase the risk of serious bleeding following a collision or other injury, including potentially life-threatening internal bleeding.
For that reason, Hurts will need to remain out of contact activities until his doctors determine that it is safe for him to stop taking the medication and resume football.
“I think it’s important that people seek medical attention and work with their doctors to determine the appropriate treatment for their individual situation,” Schaefer said.
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