Tyler Steen's first indication that the Eagles would be without Jalen Hurts against Carolina came when Tanner McKee stepped into the huddle during Thursday's walkthrough. The Eagles' right guard told NJ.com's Cayden Steele that he hadn't yet been told Hurts would miss Sunday's game because of a superficial blood clot.
“We were like, ‘Oh, what’s going on?’” Steen told Steele.
According to Steele, word spread among the players after they saw McKee take over. Philadelphia was already preparing for the Panthers when the group learned why Hurts was unavailable.
“It was surprising,” Steen said. “We were in the middle of a work day to prepare for the Panthers.”
According to Steele's report, the Eagles publicly announced Hurts' absence at 1:02 p.m., while the walkthrough had started around 12:00 ET. The Eagles said a follow-up ultrasound Wednesday night revealed movement in Hurts' small blood clot. Philadelphia ruled him out against Carolina while it determined the right treatment, leaving McKee to prepare to lead the offense. Steen said he saw Hurts around the building after the walkthrough and that the quarterback was “in good spirits.”
The Eagles have not announced a return timetable beyond ruling him out Sunday.
For Steen and the offense, Thursday brought an unexpected change in the middle of game preparation. McKee's presence in the huddle signaled that Philadelphia would need to get ready for Carolina with a different quarterback.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles learned that Hurts was out when McKee entered the huddle during practice