Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season after doctors discovered multiple blood clots in his lungs, sources told NFL Network's Ian Rapoport and ESPN's Adam Schefter. Hurts will undergo treatment involving blood thinners that is expected to sideline him for at least three months.
Hurts' agent, Nicole Lynn, and the Eagles released a statement detailing his condition. They said Hurts has deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning a blood clot traveled from his leg to his lungs. Hurts was first diagnosed with a superficial blood clot, discovered after an ultrasound in London before the Eagles' game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The team said mobility was considered important and Hurts could safely play. A follow-up ultrasound the following Wednesday showed the clot had moved. Hurts was ruled out of Sunday's game against the Panthers and has since been placed on injured reserve.
Dr. Jordan K. Schaefer, associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan who specializes in disorders of hemostasis and thrombosis, explained the condition. Schaefer, who has not treated Hurts and is not involved with the Eagles, said about one in four people with a superficial vein thrombosis also have a deep vein thrombosis. Doctors evaluate the clot's size and proximity to the deep veins because clots that extend deeper can travel to the lungs and cause a potentially serious pulmonary embolism.
For patients with deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, the standard is at least three months of anticoagulation, followed by reassessment to determine the long-term plan. Contact sports are generally avoided by patients on anticoagulants because of the risk of bleeding.
Source: ESPN NFL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing