Eagles place Jalen Hurts on injured reserve after blood clot diagnosis

The Philadelphia Eagles announced on October 15 that quarterback Jalen Hurts would miss their Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers because of a blood clot in his calf, NBC News reported.

The team described the clot as superficial, according to ESPN. The initial announcement established that Hurts would not play Sunday, but did not provide a return date.

On October 15, the diagnosis prompted concern beyond Philadelphia. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott called the condition "scary" and encouraged athletes to communicate openly with medical personnel, CBS Sports reported.

On October 16, Eagles coach Nick Sirianni declined to give much detail about Hurts' health. He instead focused on his connection with the quarterback, according to ESPN.

Philadelphia also faced other injury questions. An October 16 report from CBS Sports said Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith had missed practice, raising the possibility that Hurts would not be the only Eagle unavailable.

On October 17, the situation moved beyond a single missed game. The Eagles decided to place Hurts on injured reserve after consultations with numerous doctors and experts, sources told ESPN and NFL Network. He was expected to be out indefinitely.

Hurts is headed to injured reserve with no reported return date, according to ESPN. That changes the earlier picture, when his confirmed absence was limited to the Panthers game.

The supplied reports offer little detail about his treatment. CBS Sports NFL published a cardiologist's assessment of how his condition differs from deep vein thrombosis and what could affect recovery, but the coverage does not establish an individual recovery timetable for Hurts.

The central unanswered question is when Hurts can return. Further medical updates from the Eagles would clarify a situation that ESPN currently describes as indefinite.

For Sunday's game, the other immediate issue is whether Barkley and Smith will be available after missing practice, as CBS Sports reported. Their status adds uncertainty to an offense already without its quarterback.