Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts sidelined with superficial calf blood clot, doctors advise caution

Philadelphia Eagles officials announced that quarterback Jalen Hurts will sit out the Week 6 matchup with the Carolina Panthers after a follow-up ultrasound on Oct. 14 detected movement in a superficial blood clot located in his calf. The team said the clot was identified after Hurts was stepped on during the Oct. 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams, a trauma that can damage the lining of a blood vessel and contribute to clot formation.

Dr. Jordan Schaefer, a hematologist at the University of Michigan Health System, told USA TODAY Sports that superficial blood clots can cause redness, pain or a cord-like lump under the skin and carry a risk of breaking loose and traveling to the lungs, potentially causing a pulmonary embolism. He noted that about 10 percent of patients with superficial clots experience progression to the deep-vein system.

"People often don’t think about it in athletes and people that don’t have a lot of the other risk factors, so I think getting the attention out there to symptoms that people should be evaluated with is important for both athletes and non-athletes alike," Schaefer said.

Dr. Rushad Patell, a hematologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and associate professor at Harvard Medical School, explained that superficial vein thrombosis exists on a spectrum, with many cases managed conservatively using warm compresses, compression stockings and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. He added that not all clots are preventable, especially when they follow an injury.

"It is plausible that a cleat injury could have contributed to the development of a superficial clot," Patell wrote. "However, without prior imaging, it would be impossible to establish whether the clot was already present or definitively attribute it to the injury."

The Eagles’ medical staff cleared Hurts to play in the Oct. 11 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars after an ultrasound the day before the contest, emphasizing the importance of mobility and activity. However, the subsequent imaging indicated the clot had moved, leading to his removal from the Panthers game.

Both physicians highlighted that long-distance travel can be a weak risk factor for venous thrombosis, though attributing changes in the clot to a single flight is difficult. They stressed that ongoing monitoring, typically with repeat imaging every 48–72 hours, is essential to assess clot progression and guide treatment decisions.

Patients with larger or higher-risk clots may require anticoagulation therapy for about 45 days, a consideration that complicates recovery for contact-sport athletes because blood thinners increase bleeding risk.

"I think it’s important that people seek medical attention and work with their doctors to determine the appropriate treatment for their individual situation," Schaefer said. "Oftentimes, we want to catch these things kind of early; it can get, potentially, worse."