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Eagles Place Jalen Hurts on Injured Reserve, End Season

By Drooid · Oct 21, 2026, 2:02 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Hurts Placed IR

The Philadelphia Eagles placed quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve, ending his 2026 season.
On Oct. 10 in London, Hurts received a diagnosis of a left-calf superficial clot.
Further testing showed deep-vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, prompting blood-thinner therapy.
The NFL concluded the Eagles cleared Hurts medically and announced no disciplinary action.
Agent Nicole Lynn said Hurts is on blood thinners and will remain with the team.

Summary

Hunkele Clears Hurts

Vice president of sports medicine Tom Hunkele initially cleared Jalen Hurts to play in London, though he was later placed on injured reserve.
Only 61% of NFL contracts include guarantees, increasing players’ financial risk when injuries happen.
Average player retention drops to 56% year-to-year, pressuring athletes to compete despite health risks.
Vascular surgeon Dr. Caron Rockman said superficial vein thrombosis alone does not bar a player from flying.

Summary

Eagles Face Cap

Cutting Hurts would trigger a $67 million dead-cap charge, according to Over The Cap.
Releasing Hurts after June 1 would still leave a $42.1 million cap hit for the 2027 season.
Hurts’ guaranteed money drops to $22 million in 2027, with no further guarantees beyond the contract.
The Eagles own a potential top-10 draft slot and extra first- and second-round picks in 2028 for a new quarterback.

History

Historical Context

The 2011 NFL–NFLPA collective bargaining agreement, ratified in July 2011, reshaped player injury protections and salary-cap structures across the league. Under the deal, the league’s salary cap rose to $120.6 million per team, and the NFL mandated a minimum 10% injury-guarantee clause for contracts. Today, the Philadelphia Eagles placed quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve, despite sports-medicine director Tom Hunkele’s clearance and agent Nicole Lynn’s comments, echoing CBA safeguards. Consequently, the Eagles must absorb a $67 million dead-cap charge, illustrating how the 2011 agreement’s financial guarantees now shape roster decisions and player security.

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Hurts Placed IR

The Philadelphia Eagles placed quarterback Jalen Hurts on injured reserve, ending his 2026 season.
On Oct. 10 in London, Hurts received a diagnosis of a left-calf superficial clot.
Further testing showed deep-vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, prompting blood-thinner therapy.
The NFL concluded the Eagles cleared Hurts medically and announced no disciplinary action.
Agent Nicole Lynn said Hurts is on blood thinners and will remain with the team.

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