On Monday, news emerged that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the remainder of this season due to blood clots discovered in his lungs.
After the latest update arrived, former NFL player and current CBS Sports analyst Leger Douzable sounded off on the Eagles' handling of the situation. He raised significant concerns about how the organization treated Hurts and how its actions might be perceived by prospective players whom the Eagles try to add to their roster.
Douzable's biggest concern centered on player safety and whether other players might question if the organization prioritizes their well-being over winning games.
"We always have these conversations in the offseason as players, especially as guys that are going towards free agency, and especially how does the organization treat homegrown players," Douzable mentioned.
"'If you're treating a guy who's homegrown, who's brought you a Super Bowl like this, how are you gonna treat me when I'm just coming into the building?'" he suggested prospective players might wonder.
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According to ESPN on Monday, Hurts was initially diagnosed with a superficial blood clot in his calf before the team's London game against the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier this month.
After the diagnosis, Hurts still played in that game, as the Eagles said their medical staff reviewed his results and determined he could safely participate.
Follow-up testing revealed that the clot moved, and Hurts was ruled out of the Sunday, Oct. 18 game against the Panthers.
According to ESPN, Hurts was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis as well as bilateral pulmonary emboli. Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni defended the Eagles' medical personnel, indicating that player health is always the priority.
Douzable placed responsibility on the Eagles for allowing Hurts to play after his initial diagnosis, contending that the organization should have intervened regardless of the quarterback's desire to compete.
"This is 100 percent on the Philadelphia Eagles, and it's disturbing that they allowed the face of the franchise, or any player, [to play in this situation]," Douzable said. "Somebody should've stepped in and said, 'Jalen, we love that you're a competitor, we love that you're a warrior, but we're not gonna put you at risk. We're gonna put you to the side, because it's more about you and your safety.'"
Douzable qualified his criticism, saying, "If all that we're seeing right now is actually true." His concerns could raise difficult questions for the Eagles' front office, coaching staff, and medical personnel about their handling of Hurts' health and the message it sends to other players.
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