The NFL Players Association is calling for a “full investigation” into how the NFL and the Philadelphia Eagles handled the medical care of quarterback Jalen Hurts.
Hurts played for the Eagles in the team’s Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, after being diagnosed with superficial vein thrombosis in his left calf. However, after being ruled out for the team’s Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers, it was announced that Hurts was undergoing treatment for a deep vein thrombosis, and bilateral pulmonary emboli, and that his treatment included blood thinners.
Hurts is expected to miss the rest of the season.
On Tuesday, league officials defended how the Eagles quarterback was treated while in London.
“The notion that there are external factors that any of our physicians would put a player in harm’s way — that’s nonsense,” said NFL chief medical officer Allen Sills. It was also reported that the league would not penalize the Eagles for how Hurts’ medical situation was handled, and the NFL determined that the team did not violate league policy.
However, the NFLPA wasn’t satisfied with that assessment, and on Tuesday night released a statement calling for a “full investigation” into how his care was handled:
“The NFLPA is not aware of any investigation by the NFL into the medical care provided to Jalen Hurts. In fact, the league has previously informed the union that it does not plan to review the care he received. Before drawing conclusions about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation of what happened. Finding the facts is essential to ensure players receive the highest level of care and protection in the future.”
Hurts was hospitalized in London the night before the game against the Jaguars, returning to the team hotel at 3 a.m. local time. According to reports, he fell asleep until the team left for the stadium at 10:30 a.m. for the game against Jacksonville.
This is a developing story and will be updated.