Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 NFL season after being diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his left calf and blood clots in both lungs.
After the diagnosis was announced, NFL Network analyst Michael Robinson apologized for questioning Hurts’ commitment to the team last week. However, former Eagles star Terrell Owens was not satisfied with Robinson’s written apology and called on him to address his comments on television.
Terrell Owens Criticizes Robinson’s Apology Over Jalen Hurts Comments
Owens did not hold back when reacting to Robinson’s apology on Instagram.
“Say your apology on air as you did the disrespect,” Owens wrote. “This is where getting too cute with the commentary goes wrong!”
The controversy began after Hurts was diagnosed with a superficial blood clot during an ultrasound in London on Oct. 10. He played against the Jacksonville Jaguars without limitations Sunday, Oct. 11, but further tests the following Wednesday revealed that the clot had shifted.
As a result, the star quarterback missed Philadelphia’s Week 6 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, which the Eagles lost 25-14.
On Monday, the Eagles and Hurts’ agent confirmed that further testing had revealed deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and ESPN’s Adam Schefter subsequently reported that Hurts is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season.
Before the full diagnosis became public, Robinson questioned whether the quarterback was using his injury as a reason to sit out, given the state of the team.
“This is just me outside looking in. I don’t know nothing, guys. But it looked like they were trying to pin the outcome of this season on Jalen Hurts, just so that they can have an excuse later on to move on from Jalen Hurts,” Robinson began on “NFL GameDay Kickoff.”
“But if I’m just playing devil’s advocate here, and I’m thinking that way, if I’m Jalen Hurts… or anybody in Jalen Hurts’ camp… I’m saying, ‘Well, if everybody’s hurt, I’m hurt, too.’ To me, it looked like Jalen is kind of getting himself out of the fray… he’s pulling himself out so that this [lost season] doesn’t look like it’s on him.”
SET YOUR LINEUPS:PFN’s Free Fantasy Start/Sit Optimizer
Following the Eagles’ announcement about Hurts’ diagnosis, Robinson apologized to the quarterback, his family, the organization, and its fans.
“I want to sincerely apologize to Jalen Hurts, his family, the Philadelphia Eagles organization and fanbase for my comments last Thursday. They were unfounded, and I never should’ve speculated on a health issue of a player, nor his commitment to his team,” Robinson wrote.
Although Robinson acknowledged that his comments were wrong, Owens believes he should make the same apology “on air,” given that his original comments were made on television.
PREDICT THE NFL SEASON:PFN’s Free NFL Playoff Predictor
Hurts will be treated with blood thinners, and reports from NFL Network and ESPN suggest his recovery could take around three months. Because players cannot play contact football while taking the medication, he is expected to miss the rest of the season.
Teammate Tyler Steen said Hurts was in good spirits after the initial diagnosis, while his agent, Nicole Lynn, said Monday that he is clinically stable and expected to make a full recovery.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.