What happens when your star players get blood clots from all the international travel you subject them to?
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=%2Fg%2F11c538kf0z&q=Jalen+Hurts) was diagnosed with a superficial blood clot after a trans-Atlantic flight to London. Independent medical experts note that prolonged flights substantially increase the risk of blood clots developing. [1] (https://abcnews.com/US/eagles-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-leg-lungs-timeline/story?id=137387183), [2] (https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/19/sport/eagles-jalen-hurts-analysis), [3] (https://www.nj.com/eagles/2026/10/we-asked-2-doctors-if-eagles-mishandled-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-could-have-killed-him.html)
Timeline of the Diagnosis
The progression of Jalen Hurts' medical condition unfolded over several days: [1] (https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/19/sport/eagles-jalen-hurts-analysis)
• Arrival in London: Upon landing in London for a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Hurts received an ultrasound that revealed a superficial blood clot in his leg.
• The Flight Back: Despite the initial clot discovery, team doctors cleared him to play in the game. Following the game, Hurts boarded a return flight back to Philadelphia with the team.
• Escalation: A follow-up scan on Wednesday, October 14, showed "small movement" in the clot.
• Final Diagnosis: By Monday, October 19, 2026, the team and his agent announced that the condition escalated into deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning the blood clot had traveled from his leg to his lungs. [1] (https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50219637/jalen-hurts-eagles-blood-clot), [2] (https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/nfl/eagles-quarterback-jalen-hurts-likely-season-blood-clots-found-lungs-l-rcna604355), [3] (https://abcnews.com/US/eagles-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-leg-lungs-timeline/story?id=137387183), [4] (https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/19/sport/eagles-jalen-hurts-analysis)
Did the Flying Cause the Blood Clots?
While the Philadelphia Eagles have not officially stated that the flight caused the injury, medical specialists point to travel as a primary catalyst. [1] (https://www.nj.com/eagles/2026/10/we-asked-2-doctors-if-eagles-mishandled-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-could-have-killed-him.html), [2] (https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/19/sport/eagles-jalen-hurts-analysis)
According to ABC News medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton, prolonged travel and immobility are prominent risk factors that increase the likelihood of blood clots, even in young, elite athletes. Outside physicians speaking to NJ.com added that trans-Atlantic flights substantially increase these risks, creating a strong probability that the long flight to London caused the initial clot. Critics and medical analysts have also questioned the team's decision to let Hurts board the return flight home before the clot was fully resolved or treated with blood thinners. [1] (https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/jalen-hurts-agent-tries-spin-215732263.html), [2] (https://abcnews.com/US/eagles-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-leg-lungs-timeline/story?id=137387183), [3] (https://www.nj.com/eagles/2026/10/we-asked-2-doctors-if-eagles-mishandled-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-could-have-killed-him.html)
Hurts is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 NFL season while undergoing a standard three-month treatment plan involving blood thinners. [1] (https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50219637/jalen-hurts-eagles-blood-clot)