The Philadelphia Eagles placed Jalen Hurts on injured reserve on Saturday after consulting with numerous doctors and experts about the superficial blood clot in his calf, a move that sidesteps a short-term return and leaves him sidelined indefinitely. The decision came after the team said additional information surfaced over the last 24 hours that made this the wisest course of action.
That makes Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers the first that Hurts will miss, with Tanner McKee set to start and rookie Cole Payton promoted to backup. The Eagles also signed Joe Milton off Dallas’ practice squad, and he must remain on the roster for three weeks under NFL rules.
Philadelphia had already ruled Hurts out for Sunday and released a lengthy statement Thursday about how the clot was discovered, but the move to injured reserve sharpened the reality of the situation. He is now expected to miss the Carolina Panthers, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders and New York Giants before the Week 10 bye, a stretch that strips the offense of its three-time Pro Bowler for at least four games.
The part that matters most is that the Eagles believe the clot is treatable, even as they accept that Hurts cannot play while on blood thinners if that is the treatment his medical team chooses. In most cases, blood clots are treated with anticoagulants, and one team doctor described the range this way: it can be broad and depend on size, location and hematology evaluation, but could be six weeks. If the clot is minor enough, doctors may start with anti-inflammatories and keep monitoring it; if it worsens, blood thinners for roughly three months can become the next step.
That leaves the return date in the hands of Hurts’ medical team, not the standings or the calendar. The Eagles waited for more information before acting, and now they are moving forward without their starter through at least the next several games, hoping the medical path stays on the shorter end of the range rather than the longer one.
