NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Wednesday that the league welcomes an investigation into the Philadelphia Eagles' handling of Jalen Hurts' blood clots, after the players' union requested one. Goodell said at the end of the NFL's annual fall meeting that Dr. Allen Sills, the league's chief medical officer, has reviewed the steps that were followed and that the union had a right to call for a review.
"Obviously, there was a medical evaluation, and I think our protocols were incredibly good there," Goodell said. "The protocols were followed." Sills had earlier defended the Eagles' medical staff, saying, "The notion that there's external factors that any of our physicians would put a player in harm's way -- that's nonsense."
The NFL Players Association's call for an investigation followed Sills' comments and reports that the league would not punish the Eagles over how they managed Hurts being cleared to play Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The union said that before conclusions are drawn, "there must be a full investigation into what occurred."
Hurts' agent, Nicole Lynn, and the Eagles said further testing revealed deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning a blood clot traveled from his legs to his lungs. The 28-year-old quarterback is on injured reserve and is expected to miss the rest of the season. An ultrasound in London on Oct. 10 had revealed a superficial blood clot in his leg, and the team said its medical staff concluded he could safely play.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing