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Jan 17, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Adam Schefter on the ESPN Monday Night Countdown set before a NFC Wild Card playoff football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports Credit: USA TODAY Sports (Reuters)
ESPN’s NFL insider Adam Schefter has challenged claims that the Philadelphia Eagles mishandled Jalen Hurts’ medical situation. The quarterback is expected to miss the remainder of the 2026 season after blood clots were discovered in his lungs.
The situation has raised questions about why Hurts played against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London after doctors identified a blood clot in his calf. However, Schefter believes more information is needed before blaming Philadelphia.
Speaking to 97.5 The Fanatic hosts Jon Marks and Andrew Salciunas, Schefter questioned what punishment the Eagles could face.
“What’s the penalty?” Schefter asked. “What is the league penalizing them for?”
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Marks suggested the NFL Players Association could investigate whether Philadelphia allowed Hurts to play despite knowing about the blood clot. He also questioned whether the team had misrepresented the condition on its injury report.
Schefter acknowledged the concern but resisted drawing conclusions before the facts were established.
“They did list him as a calf,” Schefter said. “Do you list him in that particular case? Because teams are fudging injury reports all the time… have we seen teams list players on the report with a blood clot? And are they violating the rules by saying it’s a calf? I don’t know.”
Adam Schefter separates medical concerns from potential rule violations
NFL: Philadelphia Eagles at Jacksonville Jaguars
Tottenham, ENG; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) drops back to pass at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)
Schefter emphasized that the Eagles could face consequences if investigators found they manipulated the injury report. However, he questioned whether listing a calf injury violated league rules when the underlying diagnosis involved a clot.
“If they did something wrong, the league will come down on them,” Schefter said. “I don’t know if I see something wrong.
“I know what we all think. That it was the clot, not the calf. And so, you’re being a little tricky, but they are abiding by the injury report.”
Will The NFL Investigate How The Eagles Handled Jalen Hurts’ Injury? Adam Schefter Weighs In…@JonMarksMedia & @asalciunas975 | #FlyEaglesFly
📸: Bill Streicher, Geoff Burke, Eric Hartline-Imagn Images and USA TODAY Sports pic.twitter.com/sMYnjkGDLe
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) October 20, 2026
The distinction matters because medical concerns and formal violations are not necessarily the same issue. Even if Philadelphia complied with reporting rules, questions about the decision to clear Hurts remain.
Further testing revealed that blood clots had traveled to Hurts’ lungs, ending his season. He has been placed on injured reserve and requires treatment with blood thinners.
“We anticipate that he will have the opportunity to resume contact football activities when off the blood thinners, ” the Eagles said in their official statement.
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The Athletic’s Jonathan Jones has reported that the NFL will not punish the Eagles over their handling of the situation. That does not automatically settle questions about the medical decisions surrounding Hurts.
Philadelphia must now prioritize its quarterback’s recovery while addressing concerns from fans and observers. Schefter’s comments highlight why determining responsibility requires evidence rather than assumptions.
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