According to a press release by the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday, October 15, 2026, their quarterback, Jalen Hurts, will not play against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday because of a so-called superficial blood clot in his calf muscle. The backup, Tanner McKee, will take his place. This happens amid a difficult season for the Eagles with two wins and three losses and a three-game losing streak.
As per the Eagles, it is expected that Hurts sustained a calf strain after being cleated during Week 4's defeat to the Los Angeles Rams. Hurts showed up on the injury list on Friday and Wednesday.
An ultrasound carried out by the Eagles on Saturday in London ahead of the Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed that Hurts had a clot in the body. The Eagles physicians ruled Hurts could play in safety, and the organization communicated the same to the league office. The 28-year-old was active for all plays in a 19-17 defeat.
However, on Wednesday, an ultrasound revealed that the clot was moving within his body, and therefore, the Eagles opted not to play Hurts, reports NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The organization is trying to figure out how best to proceed. "It is a very unique experience to say the least," Hurts said hours before the test results became available.
The superficial clot occurs in veins that are located near the skin’s surface and are normally less serious than deep vein clots. Nonetheless, the doctors keep track of these clots closely due to their capability of becoming worse.
According to Rapoport, Hurts cannot play until the problem is sorted. As for the timeline, the Eagles did not mention anything. Moreover, the team does not say whether he could miss several games even though CBS Sports suggested it.
At age 26, Tanner McKee is going to make the third start in his career and the first start that will have significant consequences. He is taller than Hurts by 6 feet 6 inches and is a traditional pocket passer and does not have Hurts’ mobility skills. NFL.com claims that if McKee does not do well, general manager Howie Roseman might consider another quarterback after Hurts such as Joe Milton or Cole Payton.
The Eagles lack quality players in the quarterback position since the team has already cut veteran Andy Dalton during the current season. Moreover, according to Sporting News, running back Saquon Barkley is not going to participate in the game.
Injury update moved the point spread. Carolina shifted from 1.5-point underdog to 3.5-point favorite following the announcement on Hurts’ status. Background on the match-up:
- Eagles: 2-3; lost games to Bears, Rams, and Jaguars. They’re 1-4 against the spread.
- Panthers: First place in their division with quarterback Bryce Young leading the team. Panthers defeated Lions 32-26 in Week 4 and had an off-week last week.
- Series: Eagles lead 9-4 and won the most recent match-up 22-16.
Carolina linebacker Jaelan Phillips said he was looking forward to playing Hurts and was sorry Hurts was out. Carolina officials claim Hurts' absence is not making any difference in the Panthers' game plan.
Two seasons ago, Hurts led the Eagles to a Super Bowl victory, earning him MVP honors for the game. However, this year, the Eagles have been sub-. 500 and Sports Illustrated reported Nick Sirianni, head coach of the Eagles, is getting a lot of criticism while Hurts and the offensive players struggle. Experts like Kyle Orlovsky warn the clot may be a big problem for the franchise.
The schedule won’t give the Eagles any respite. After Carolina, the Eagles will play the Dallas Cowboys in Monday Night Football on October 26 and then visit the Washington Commanders on November 1.
The crucial points here are when and how the Eagles handle the clot. If it’s a brief absence, then the Eagles could get through the difficult period with McKee. If the absence is more prolonged, then Roseman may need to either bring in another quarterback or see what he has on his hands with his existing players. In the meantime, one game at a time is all the team will say about the situation.
