Jalen Hurts being ruled out indefinitely after blood clots were found in his lungs has drawn reaction from across the NFL.
The Philadelphia Eagles have been put under scrutiny for the handling of Hurts' medical issue, specifically in the lead-up to their Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. At the time, a superficial blood clot had been found in Hurts' calf following a team walk-through. Hurts ended up playing in that game before taking the team flight back to the United States. Upon their return stateside and further testing, Hurts was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, which have put him on the shelf for what is believed to be the rest of the regular season.
The NFL concluded that the process that led to Hurts playing in Week 5 "was handled appropriately." However, the NFLPA has called for a further investigation into the matter. As for the players themselves, two of the league's most notable players have reacted to what has transpired with Hurts.
Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III has first-person experience with what Hurts is going through after dealing with blood clots in his lungs in high school.
"Yeah, honestly, just stay positive," Walker said during his Friday press conference. "You know, obviously, I guess you know about what happened in high school, like, with the blood clots and everything. And he went on the flight, huh, and everything? Yeah, that's crazy. You know, honestly, just stay positive, and, you know, do all the things necessary that he needs to do, like, to get his body back right. But, yeah, I'll be praying for him, because that's not something, you know, we should take lightly."
Walker's concern for Hurts being on a flight in his condition has been a common one throughout the NFL, and a legitimate question in the team's handling of the situation. When asked about Hurts on Friday, Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has had disputes with the NFL's medical staff in the past, admitted that he wasn't surprised by the confusing handling of the Eagles signal-caller.
"We're in the quarterback fraternity, so you don't want to see anything like that happen to anybody. Especially a guy who's still in football," Rodgers said during his Friday presser. "I don't know all the details about what's going on. All I've seen is what's been printed. Allen Sills, he's the guy in charge of all things medical at the NFL office, and he and I haven't always seen eye-to-eye about things. So, I can't say I'm real surprised."
In a response to the NFLPA's request, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said he welcomes an investigation into the handling of Hurts' blood clots but said that "the protocols were followed."
"The most important thing here is Jalen's health, ultimately, and the future of him," Goodell said. "He's a wonderful young man; not just a great player, but he's someone we all care deeply about. I'm more worried about his health, ultimately, but the protocols were followed."
With Hurts sidelined, Philadelphia has turned to backup quarterback Tanner McKee.
