Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will not play in Sunday’s game against the Panthers due to a small blood clot in his leg, the team announced on Wednesday.
Hurts, 28, was cleated in his calf in Week 4’s loss to the Rams and sought treatment after practice the following Thursday. An ultrasound performed “out of an abundance of caution” after the Eagles’ flight to London on Saturday revealed a “superficial” blood clot that did not impact Hurts’ status for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars.
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“Jalen played without limitation in the game Sunday, received treatment on Monday and Tuesday, and practiced in full on Wednesday,” the Eagles said in a statement. “On Wednesday night, a follow-up ultrasound revealed movement in the small blood clot.” The team is now moving to “determine the appropriate course of treatment” while prioritizing their star quarterback’s health and safety.
Blood clots are a scary, serious medical issue that have affected other NFL players’ careers in recent years. Hurts will not able to play “until this situation is resolved,” per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, who adds that the seventh-year passer is “out indefinitely.”
Hurts’ absence will position Tanner McKee for his third career start and first this season. Philadelphia originally named Andy Dalton as the No. 2 quarterback to start the regular season. That experiment quickly went haywire when he threw an interception on his first pass upon entering the game in Week 3. The Eagles released Dalton shortly after and installed McKee as the backup.
The 2023 sixth-round pick did not see any regular-season playing time as a rookie. He appeared in six games over the last two years with one start in each season. To date, he has completed 54 of his 88 passes for 597 yards, five touchdowns, and one interception, good for a 61.4% completion rate, 6.8 yards per attempt, and a 95.7 passer rating.
On Sunday, McKee will face a Panthers passing defense that ranks near the middle of the league in yards per attempt, touchdowns, and interceptions. The 26-year-old may have to do so without Philly’s best skill players, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith, who were sidelined in Week 5 and did not participate in practice on Wednesday or Thursday.
This is no doubt a concerning situation for Hurts’ short- and long-term health. But for McKee, it represents a sizable opportunity. His previous regular-season starts both came in Week 18 with the Eagles’ playoff seeding already decided. Now, the team could be looking to him for multiple games after a 2-3 start in a winnable NFC East division.
McKee is currently in the final year of his rookie contract and has yet to make a strong case for high-end backup money when he hits free agency next offseason. His performance during Hurts’ absence will be hugely influential on his market value in the spring.
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