Jalen Hurts blood clot controversy takes another turn as NFL clears Eagles of wrongdoing despite growing scrutiny

The NFL has closed the book on how the Eagles handled Jalen Hurts’ blood clots. League officials told The Athletic the team broke no rules by playing the quarterback against Jacksonville in London on Oct. 11, a day after doctors found a superficial clot in his calf. Days later, scans showed multiple clots in his lungs, and Hurts is now out indefinitely. The finding landed Tuesday, the same day the NFL Players Association demanded a full investigation. The league sees no problem. The union says nobody has actually checked.NFL clears Eagles over Jalen Hurts blood clot decisionThe league’s conclusion is short. It called the process “handled appropriately by the Eagles” and found no injury report violation. Jalen Hurts appeared on the report with a calf issue two days before kickoff but carried no game designation, since the team expected him to play without limits. He did. Hurts threw 21 of 40 for 220 yards and a touchdown in a 19-17 loss.The sleep story took the most heat, and it has now been walked back. Early reports said Hurts stayed awake 36 hours before the game. The Athletic says that is wrong. The whole team stayed on U.S. time during the trip, and his hospital visit stretched the night. A source told Yahoo Sports he returned to the hotel at 2:45 a.m., slept until 10, then napped again at the stadium instead of joining warmups.League doctors defend the medical processNFL chief medical officer Alan Sills went further. He argued that a bad outcome does not prove a bad process. Sometimes, he said, doctors do everything right and a disease still advances. In his words, everyone involved was “incredibly conservative and incredibly vigilant.” He added that most people would have gone longer without a diagnosis.There is medical support for part of that view. Two independent experts told Yahoo Sports it is rare for a superficial clot to move into a deep vein and then the lungs. Those clots usually stay put, and they do not normally rule a player out of contact sports. Once the clot spread, though, blood thinners became necessary, and that treatment runs three to six months.The Eagles say Jalen Hurts should recover fully, with no long-term effects.Union wants an outside lookThe NFLPA is not buying the league’s version. In a Tuesday night statement, it said it knew of no investigation into Hurts’ care and that the league had earlier told it none was planned. Conclusions, the union said, should wait for a full inquiry.That is the weak spot in the NFL’s position. Executive vice president Jeff Miller said the league spoke with Eagles staff, the independent hospital and the doctors involved, and has a complete picture. Talking to people is not the same as auditing records, and the union wants the records opened.Coach Nick Sirianni has made his own defense, pointing to the staff that kept 21 of 22 starters available for the Super Bowl. “Full trust in those guys,” he said. Some fans and reporters wanted general manager Howie Roseman or a team doctor to answer questions instead.For now, the Eagles have bigger problems on the field. Tanner McKee is the man now, with Dallas up Monday night.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.