Outrage after $71m superstar allowed to play despite ‘scary’ diagnosis

Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts has been ruled out for the season after the discovery of a scary health condition which has caused outrage in the NFL.

Hurts, who earns about $71 million (AUD) a year, was diagnosed with a superficial blood clot following a scan in London last week.

After the discovery of the clot, Hurts reportedly stayed awake for nearly 36 straight hours and then played in an NFL game for the Eagles in London.

Hurts, who was already questionable for the game with a calf injury, had a scan on his leg last Sunday morning in London, which revealed the initial blood clot.

He has now been ruled out for the remainder of the NFL season, with further imaging revealing more blood clots in his lungs. He has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis.

“What was originally believed to be a superficial blood clot was then revealed Saturday afternoon to be several blood clots in Jalen Hurts’ lungs,” ESPN journalist Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday morning.

“At that point, it all changed. It is serious. It is scary.”

The Ringer journalist Tom Pelissero followed up the report with the additional details surrounding the decision for Hurts to play in the London game.

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“How committed is Jalen Hurts to football? After initially being diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in London, doctors told him not to sleep as a precaution, so he had been awake for roughly 36 hours when he started against the Jaguars, throwing for 220 yards and a (touchdown),” Pelissero posted, before later clarifying that the quarterback had actually managed to get some sleep.

However, the Eagles are now coming under heavy fire for allowing him to play, and fly overseas, given he had barely slept and the subsequent scans that ruled him out for the season.

ESPN anchor Linda Cohn posted to social media: “That entire Eagles medical staff should be fired! He should not have been allowed to board that plane to London! He was complaining about the calf pain and they did nothing! And why did they wait to get to London before taking the first ultrasound!!?!?“.

Former host of ESPN’s NFL Live Trey Wingo was equally stunned with the report, posting: “Yeah… this isn’t a ‘how much he loves football’ story. It’s an ‘everyone in the Eagles organisation needs to answer some really hard questions’, story”.

Local Eagles reporter Anthony DiBona added: "This is embarrassing for the Eagles organisation".

Hurts’ agent Nicole Lynn clarified via social media that her client “felt rested enough to play” and managed to get some sleep between leaving the hospital and the game.

“Jalen played without limitation in the game Sunday, received treatment on Monday and Tuesday, and practiced in full on Wednesday, as reflected in the practice report,” the team said last week.

“Throughout our time in London and this week, we have remained in communication with the league office regarding the matter.”

A follow-up examination then revealed "movement in the small blood clot", leading to Hurts being ruled out for the season.

Hurts, the 2025 Super Bowl MVP, is expected to make a full recovery. He threw for 220 yards and a touchdown in the London loss to Jacksonville.

He will be treated with blood thinners.

Hurts said in his press conference following the London game that it was a “unique experience”, but refused to elaborate on what had occurred.