Jalen Hurts ruled out vs. Panthers with blood clot in calf
Web StoryWatch this story in 15 seconds →Key takeaways
- Jalen Hurts will miss Sunday's game against the Panthers with a superficial blood clot in his calf.
- Backup Tanner McKee will start for the Eagles.
- The Eagles have not set a date for Hurts to return.
Jalen Hurts will not play on Sunday. The Philadelphia Eagles ruled out their star quarterback. The reason is a blood clot in his calf.
In Week 6, the Eagles play the Carolina Panthers. Backup Tanner McKee will start in his place. The team announced the news on Thursday.
What happened
The story began two weeks ago. Hurts was cleated in the calf on October 4 against the Rams. A cleat is a shoe with studs.
On October 8, Hurts asked for calf treatment after practice. It was his first treatment for the injury. He had practiced in full the two days before.
The next day, he got treatment again. He practiced in full again. The team added him to the practice report.
On Saturday, the team flew to London. After a walkthrough, doctors ran an ultrasound. An ultrasound is a scan that uses sound waves.
The scan showed a superficial blood clot. The team doctors talked with doctors in London. They said movement and activity were key.
They said Hurts could safely play. They asked for a new scan within 72 hours.
Hurts played on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He played without limits, according to the team. He threw 21 of 40 passes for 220 yards.
He threw one touchdown in that game. The Eagles lost to Jacksonville, 19-17, in London. He got treatment on Monday and Tuesday.
He practiced in full on Wednesday. Then came the key test on Wednesday night.
A follow-up ultrasound showed movement in the small clot. The team acted fast. It ruled Hurts out for Sunday.
The team said it will decide the right course of treatment. It added that his health and safety come first.
What is a superficial blood clot
The word superficial points to the surface. A superficial clot sits in a vein near the skin. A vein is a tube that carries blood back to the heart.
Harvard Health explains the basic idea. The clot sits inside a swollen vein. The skin near it can turn red.
The area can swell. The vein can feel firm under the skin. This is not the same as a deep vein clot.
A deep vein clot sits far below the surface. Doctors use an ultrasound to check for deeper clots. That scan is how the Eagles found the change in Hurts.
This article is for information only and is not medical advice.
Why it matters
The timing is rough for Philadelphia. The Eagles are 2-3 this season. They have lost three games in a row.
Now they lose their starting quarterback for at least one game. Hurts is the heart of the offense. He has thrown for 933 yards this season.
He has eight touchdowns and three interceptions in five games. He has completed 57.8 percent of his passes. He was the Most Valuable Player of Super Bowl LIX.
Now the job falls to Tanner McKee. McKee is 26 years old. The Eagles picked him in the sixth round of the 2023 draft.
He played at Stanford in college. He has played six NFL games. He has started two of them.
He has thrown for 597 yards. He has five touchdowns and one interception. He has not played in a game this season.
McKee plays a different style than Hurts. Hurts can run with the ball. McKee stays in the pocket more.
The pocket is the safe area behind the offensive line. He throws from there. The Panthers are getting ready for that change.
News broke around 1 PM on Thursday. Panthers players heard it during practice. Their first thought was for Hurts and his health.
Then they turned to film study. Defensive tackle Derrick Brown said he did not know McKee well. He said he would watch tape on him.
Linebacker Jaelan Phillips knows McKee from last year. He said McKee throws the ball well. He praised his calm style in the pocket.
He said McKee commands the game. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett knows both men well. He played in Philadelphia during the 2024 season.
He said the big gap is mobility. Mobility means the skill to run and move. He said McKee is smart and will get the ball out.
Fantasy managers must adjust too. Hurts is out of fantasy lineups this week. See our Week 6 start and sit guide.
The Eagles have more injury problems
Hurts is not the only Eagle who is hurt. The Eagles listed 24 players on their injury report on Wednesday. That is a long list for one team.
Running back Saquon Barkley missed the Week 5 game. He did not practice on Wednesday. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith also missed that game.
He did not practice on Wednesday either. The offensive line has taken big hits too. Right tackle Lane Johnson retired.
Center Cam Jurgens was traded. Guard Landon Dickerson is on injured reserve.
The Panthers have their own injury woes. They lost two starting cornerbacks to injured reserve. A cornerback guards the other team's wide receivers.
The Panthers still seek answers at that spot. Week 6 has a full slate around the league. The Browns face the Ravens this week.
The 49ers edged the Seahawks in Week 5.
What happens next
The game is Sunday at 1 PM. The Eagles host the Panthers at home. The Panthers are 2-2 this season.
They sit on top of their division. McKee gets his chance to lead the offense. His first appearance came in relief in Week 17 last season.
He threw two touchdowns in that game. He started the next week.
The Eagles will shape the game plan around him. They will lean on short, quick throws. They will ask the run game to carry more weight.
They will ask the defense to hold firm. The big question has no answer yet. The Eagles have not set a date for Hurts to return.
They said they are still deciding the right treatment. They have stayed in touch with the league office.
Fans will watch the next injury reports. A full practice would be a good sign. A new scan result would matter too.
For now, the team waits. Sunday will test the Eagles in a new way. They must win without their star.
They must trust their backup. And they must hope their quarterback heals soon.
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