
The NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles have already faced backlash for how they handled quarterback Jalen Hurts' alarming medical situation. They may now generate even more.
On Monday, news broke that Hurts will miss the rest of the season because of blood clots that have moved into his lungs. The development raised ethical questions about Philadelphia letting the QB play in its Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London. The Eagles reportedly discovered the initial superficial blood clot on Oct. 10, hours before the Oct. 11 game. Hurts complained of calf pain on Oct. 8, before the team traveled across the pond.
And yet, the NFL Players Association said the NFL isn't investigating the Eagles.
The NFLPA released a statement Tuesday night after a report shared the league isn't punishing the Eagles.
"The NFLPA is not aware of any NFL investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts," the NFLPA said (h/t NFL Media's Mike Garafolo). "In fact, the league previously informed the union that it did not care to plan to review the care he received. Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred. Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward."
Statement from the @NFLPA:
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 20, 2026
“The NFLPA is not aware of any NFL investigation into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts. In fact, the league previously informed the union that it did not plan to review the care he received. Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation…
NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills didn't mention that the league isn't investigating the matter during a Tuesday news conference. He defended the Eagles medical staff and said it's "nonsense" to suggest football would impact a medical decision.
NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills: “I have tremendous confidence in the Philadelphia Eagles’ medical staff and all our medical staffs.” Says no medical decisions regarding players are affected by the football side.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 20, 2026
“That’s nonsense.“ pic.twitter.com/6evneIOTPK
Jeff Miller, NFL executive vice president overseeing health and safety, reiterated that.
"There was considerable and uninformed speculation yesterday in the reporting," Miller said, via Mark Maske of Front Office Sports. "I understand that all the facts are now publicly available [and] have been reported widely regarding the conservative steps that were taken to ensure Jalen Hurts' health was always made the first priority and continues to be."
The NFL's Jeff Miller: “There was considerable and uninformed speculation yesterday in the reporting. I understand that all the facts are now publicly available [and] have been reported widely regarding the conservative steps that were taken to ensure Jalen Hurts’s health was… https://t.co/zTfypd6ECE
— Mark Maske (@MarkMaske) October 20, 2026
Not everyone buys that. The Athletic's Michael Silver pointed out that the Eagles delayed Hurts taking blood thinners by letting him fly to London with the team.
"I'm not really feeling the victory lap. This is an embarrassment for the NFL and the team," wrote Silver on X.
Bro--you presumably let him delay taking blood-thinners, play in an NFL game and then fly seven hours across an ocean, and he now has blood clots in his lungs. I'm not really feeling the victory lap. This is an embarrassment for the NFL and the team. https://t.co/spzN1YdOAx
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) October 20, 2026
The league already faces heavy scrutiny for failing to address player safety adequately. The Hurts situation will give those critics more fuel.
NFL executives can say the Eagles did everything right and football didn't factor into the decision. But how can the league know that when the NFLPA says it's not even investigating?
More must-reads:
+
Get the latest news and rumors, customized to your favorite sports and teams. Emailed daily. Always free!