There was some early confusion following the initial reports of the health status of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts following the team’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
Hurts reportedly had a blood clot in his leg but was cleared to play against Jacksonville provided he get a follow-up scan of his leg. It was then revealed that Hurts’ blood clot had moved, causing major concern.
Ultimately, it was revealed he had blood clots in his lungs, which will force him to miss the rest of the season. It also prompted many to wonder if the Eagles’ medical staff had done things properly in how they handled Hurts’ situation.
Insider Says Eagles-Hurts Situation Could Spark Change
On Saturday, The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones revealed that because there’s still many questions left unanswered about how the Eagles handled Hurts’ health, it could force the NFL to change how certain injuries are reported and followed-up with, specifically blood clot issues.
“The NFL Players Association seeks a full investigation into the handling of Jalen Hurts’ medical situation. That will take time. But even if it is determined everything was handled properly and this was an unfortunate episode, it could still bring about change.
“… While there are surely recommended medical practices, there isn’t a collectively bargained league protocol on how to handle players with some form of clotting, regarding either playing or traveling to games. But perhaps the seriousness of blood clots and, frankly, the popularity of this player may create some sort of protocol. If the game is domestic, would a player like Hurts still have flown back?
“Would there be private travel that could land in an emergency? If the game is international, like it was, what becomes the standard? Even if nothing untoward is found in this investigation, it could still bring rise to an established set of protocols the league winds up following for domestic and international contests.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Welcomes Investigation
After Hurts’ season-ending diagnosis was announced, the NFL Players’ Association immediately issued a statement calling for an investigation into how the Eagles handled the situation.
“The NFLPA is not aware of any NFL investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts,” the statement read. “In fact, the league previously informed the union that it did not plan to review the care he received.
“Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred. Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward.”
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was asked about the possibility of a league-wide investigation at the league owners’ meetings on Wednesday, to which Goodell seemed confident there were no rules broken and the Eagles had nothing to hide.
“We welcome that — that’s part of our processes,” Goodell told reporters. “Our chief medical officer has been through the protocol of what we do, but if that’s what they want to do, we would welcome that.”
Eagles-Jalen Hurts Injury Situation Could Spark Major NFL Change: Report