With Jalen Hurts ruled out for the season following his recent health diagnosis, questions have swirled about how the Philadelphia Eagles handled his situation.
On Wednesday, Hurts' former Eagles teammate, Jason Kelce, expressed confidence in head coach Nick Sirianni and the medical staff he knew when he was with the organization. However, he identified one thing he wished the team had done better with Hurts' situation.
"I don't know what the proper procedure is. It does seem like the Eagles followed a protocol for superficial blood clots, and unfortunately, this thing developed. Whether it was a result of Jalen playing in the game or whether it was a result of these flights, I have no idea," he said, adding, "now it looks terrible because of what ended up happening.
"The one thing I wish would've happened in hindsight is I wish they would've had a scan after the game, because it does appear like the thing that had a major impact on this is the flights," Kelce said during the "New Heights" podcast released Wednesday, Oct. 21.
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The Eagles played overseas in London on Oct. 11 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Hurts initially had a scan that revealed a blood clot in his calf, and he still participated in the game. After further evaluations, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli and was ruled out for the season, per ESPN.
"I feel for Jalen Hurts; this dude has been a warrior in Philadelphia, and for this to be what it's gotten to is terrible. It sucks," Kelce said.
Kelce also wondered whether medical protocols might change following Hurts' diagnosis.
"I do know that the medical doctors I have known in Philadelphia, I have always trusted them and I would still trust them, and I do know that Nick Sirianni cares about his guys deeply. That is for sure," Kelce said.
Kelce's recent comments raise questions about whether an additional postgame scan would have provided more information about Hurts' condition before the team's return travel. On Tuesday, ESPN's Tim McManus reported that the NFL would not discipline the Eagles, but the NFL Players Association said it planned to investigate the situation.
Kelce, a seven-time Pro Bowl center and Super Bowl champion, played his entire career for the Eagles from 2011 to 2023 before retiring. He called the situation with his former teammate "horrible" because it sidelined Hurts for the season, and it "could have turned into something life-threatening."
Kelce also said that, based on recent reports, it appears things are "stable," and Hurts should be able to recover from his health diagnosis with treatment.
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