NFL Backs Eagles Staff as Fans Rally Around Hurts After Clot Diagnosis

WHO:

NBC Sports - Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.) sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell seeking answers about the handling of Jalen Hurts’ blood clots.

CNN - Jalen Hurts is the Philadelphia Eagles’ star quarterback.

CNN - Dr. Allen Sills is the NFL’s chief medical officer; Jeff Miller is the league’s executive vice president.

CNN - The NFL, NFL Players Association (NFLPA), Philadelphia Eagles medical staff, Cleveland Clinic doctors in London, and doctors at an independent hospital were involved in the discussions or care described.

Pro Football Network - The article identifies Hurts’ mother and singer Anita Baker among those offering support after Hurts’ diagnosis; its supplied text does not give the mother’s name or Baker’s specific message.

WHAT:

NBC Sports - Blunt Rochester’s letter asked five questions about league-wide protocols for detecting, preventing, and treating deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism; player clearance and return-to-participation standards; education for players, trainers, and coaches; measures to reduce clot risk, including during long flights; and whether the NFL would review Hurts’ case and on what timeline.

NBC Sports - The letter asked who cleared Hurts to play after staying awake overnight and who cleared his transatlantic flight back to the United States from London.

NBC Sports - The NFL Players Association has the right under the Collective Bargaining Agreement to initiate an investigation.

CNN - Hurts was diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in his leg before the Eagles’ London game, played every offensive snap, and was diagnosed after returning to Philadelphia with bilateral pulmonary emboli and deep vein thrombosis. He was placed on blood thinners, which were likely to require him to miss the rest of the season.

CNN - The NFL publicly defended the Eagles’ handling of Hurts’ health. Sills expressed “tremendous confidence in the Philadelphia Eagles medical staff and all of our medical staff,” as well as Cleveland Clinic doctors in London.

CNN - Miller described reports and criticism as “considerable and uninformed speculation,” including a report that Hurts had not slept for 36 hours before the London game.

CNN - Sills said team physicians are not influenced by coaches, general managers, or owners; he described doctors’ work with patients as “shared decision-making” and said, “We don’t have a protocol about this.”

CNN - Sills said the league tracks blood clots and shares information with the NFLPA. He also said the outcome did not establish that the process was flawed and described the staff as “incredibly conservative and incredibly vigilant.”

CNN - Miller said the league had spoken with Eagles staff, people tracking the case, and the independent hospital and doctors, and had a “complete understanding of the course of events.”

CNN - The NFLPA said it knew of no NFL investigation and that the league had previously told the union it did not plan to review Hurts’ care. The union called for a full investigation before conclusions were drawn.

Pro Football Network - Hurts’ mother shared a message about gratitude; Anita Baker and Eagles fans offered support. The article headline includes the fan messages “Amen” and “He’ll Be Back Better.”

WHERE:

CNN - The Eagles played in London; Hurts returned to Philadelphia, where his subsequent diagnoses were made. Sills spoke at NFL meetings in New York.

WHEN:

CNN - Sills spoke at a 30-minute press conference; the NFLPA issued its statement that evening. No calendar dates are given.

WHY:

CNN - Critics questioned Hurts’ participation in the London game and transatlantic flight after a blood clot was discovered.

HOW:

NBC Sports - NBC Sports cited the NFL’s use of an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant for 17 years in concussion diagnosis and return-to-play decisions as a model for addressing potential bias among team-employed doctors.

CNN - The Eagles discussed with players how to manage the time difference when playing abroad. Sills cited privacy concerns and individual-case differences when declining to discuss Hurts’ specific medical circumstances.

Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester is pressing the NFL for answers about how the Philadelphia Eagles handled quarterback Jalen Hurts’ blood clots. Hurts was diagnosed with a superficial clot before the team’s game in London, played every offensive snap, then developed pulmonary emboli in both lungs and deep vein thrombosis after returning to Philadelphia. He was placed on blood thinners and was likely to miss the rest of the season. Blunt Rochester asked who cleared him to play and fly home, and whether the league would investigate. She also sought details on clot prevention, medical clearance, and player education. NFL medical chief Dr. Allen Sills defended the Eagles’ staff, saying the outcome alone did not prove the process was flawed. The NFL Players Association said it knew of no league investigation and called for a full review. The union can initiate one under the collective bargaining agreement.