NFL Outlines Independent Review of Jalen Hurts Blood Clot Care After Senator’s Inquiry
The Jalen Hurts blood clot investigation has moved to its next stage, after the National Football League outlined how independent medical experts will examine the care given to the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback. The league set out the process in a letter sent to U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester on Friday 13 November 2026, following her demand for answers about the 28-year-old’s treatment.
Under the plan, mutually agreed independent doctors will review the case and share their conclusions and recommendations with both the NFL and the NFL Players Association. The joint review has not formally begun, even though the union first called for a full investigation on 20 October.
Jalen Hurts Blood Clot Investigation — Key Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Player | Jalen Hurts, 28, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback |
| Diagnosis | Deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli |
| First injury | Calf injury on 4 October 2026 against the Los Angeles Rams |
| Placed on injured reserve | 17 October 2026 |
| Formal diagnosis announced | 19 October 2026 |
| NFLPA investigation call | 20 October 2026 |
| Senator’s letter to Commissioner Goodell | 21 October 2026 |
| NFL/NFLPA joint review announced | 25 October 2026 |
| NFL letter outlining review process | 13 November 2026 |
| Review status | Not yet formally begun |
| 2026 season | Hurts ruled out for the remainder of the season |
How a Calf Injury in October Became a Season-Ending Diagnosis
Hurts first hurt his calf on 4 October, when the Eagles lost 24–20 to the Los Angeles Rams. Days later, after the team flew to London for a Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, medical staff found a superficial blood clot in his calf. Hurts still played against Jacksonville, flew home with the team, and practised fully the following Wednesday.
A follow-up ultrasound that evening showed the clot had moved. Further tests found a clot in a deep vein, and multiple clots had reached both of his lungs. The Eagles placed him on injured reserve on 17 October, and two days later the team and his agent, Nicole Lynn, confirmed he had deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. He is taking blood thinners, which rule out any contact, and he is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season.
What Senator Blunt Rochester Asked the League to Explain
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware wrote to Commissioner Roger Goodell on 21 October, seeking answers about Hurts’ care and the league’s rules for detecting and treating blood clots. Her intervention followed the NFL Players Association’s call, a day earlier, for a full investigation into the medical decisions made around the quarterback.
The union said at the time that it was not aware of any NFL investigation into the medical care provided to Hurts. The league’s chief medical officer, Dr Allen Sills, publicly backed the Eagles’ doctors on 20 October, saying they had handled the quarterback’s condition carefully. The NFL and the NFLPA announced a joint review five days after the union’s call.
The Independent Review the NFL Has Now Outlined
The NFL outlined the next steps in a letter from Jeff Miller, the league’s executive vice president of communications, public affairs and health policy. The letter was released by the senator’s office on Friday, and its contents were first reported by ESPN’s Tim McManus.
As outlined by the league and the NFLPA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, mutually agreed-upon independent medical experts will review the matter and share their conclusions and recommendations with both parties. The league and the union are still working out the review’s parameters, so no findings exist yet and no conclusion about the Eagles’ medical care has been reached.
What the Investigation Means for the Eagles’ Season
Without Hurts, the Eagles are 2–7 and last in the NFC East. The team has benched Tanner McKee for Joe Milton at quarterback, and returns from its bye on 22 November against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The case has also reopened debate over whether independent doctors should assess serious injuries beyond the existing concussion protocol.
Hurts led the Eagles to a Super Bowl LIX win on 9 February 2025, beating the Kansas City Chiefs 40–22 in New Orleans. That triumph now sits in sharp contrast to a season in which the franchise quarterback has been sidelined by a medical emergency rather than a football injury.
Jalen Hurts Blood Clot Investigation — FAQs
What blood clots were found in Jalen Hurts?
Doctors found deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning a clot in a deep vein and multiple clots in both lungs. The diagnosis was confirmed in a joint statement from the Eagles and his agent on 19 October 2026.
When did the NFLPA call for an investigation?
The NFL Players Association called for a full investigation on 20 October 2026, questioning how the Eagles handled the diagnosis. The NFL and the NFLPA announced a joint review five days later.
Who asked the NFL for answers about the case?
U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware wrote to Commissioner Roger Goodell on 21 October 2026, asking about Hurts’ care and the league’s blood clot protocols.
Has the independent review started yet?
No. The NFL outlined the process in its letter of 13 November 2026, but the joint review has not formally begun. The league and the union are still agreeing its parameters.
Will Jalen Hurts play again this season?
No. He has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2026 season and is taking blood thinners, which prevent any contact, including football.
What is not yet known?
No finding has been made about whether the Eagles’ medical staff acted correctly. The independent experts have not yet examined the case, so any claim about what they will conclude would be speculation.
