Jalen Hurts’s Eagles May Be Shielded, but His Doctors Might Not Be

The Philadelphia Eagles are facing scrutiny after it was revealed that their star quarterback, Jalen Hurts, has multiple blood clots in his lungs. In Week 4, Hurts took a cleat to the calf, but did not immediately request treatment. Following the team’s international flight to London for the Week 5 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, an ultrasound showed a superficial blood clot in his calf, yet Hurts was cleared to play by doctors. After flying back with the team, a follow-up ultrasound with further additional testing revealed that the blood clots moved to both his lungs, and he was ultimately diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis. With Hurts now being on blood thinners, he will miss the rest of the season. Many questions have been raised, such as why Hurts was permitted to fly home when it is known that air travel increases the chance of clotting, and how the Eagles medical team determined his player eligibility prior to the game against Jacksonville.[1]

Amid these concerns, an anonymous league source, speaking to The Athletic, said that the NFL will not punish the Eagles, as the matter “was handled appropriately.” The source further commented that the NFL found the Eagles to be in compliance with the league’s injury report policy. Hurts was listed on the injury report without a designation, and since he was expected to play his normal number of snaps, no update was required.  The team was also in contact with the NFL beforehand regarding Hurts’s injury.[2] The NFLPA, on the other hand, called for a full investigation into how the Eagles handled Hurts’s blood clots, saying it was unaware of any league investigation into his medical care and that the NFL previously said no review was planned.[3] That has since shifted, as the NFL and the NFLPA are now handling a joint review of Hurts’s diagnosis, and Commissioner Roger Goodell has said the league welcomes a review.[4] Whatever the conclusion may be, the legal questions surrounding Hurts’s care are far from settled. What are the legal remedies for Jalen Hurts, if any?

As an Eagles employee, Hurts is likely limited to workers’ compensation instead of a lawsuit against the team, but that rule may not extend to every medical professional who assessed his injury. Under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act (the “Act”), professional athletes are entitled to benefits if they are injured during games or practices.[5] While the Act generally bars injured employees from suing their employers, it does not bar suits against a third party.[6] Hurts would not be the first Philadelphia Eagle to sue doctors supervising his care. In 2024, a judge upheld a Philadelphia jury’s award to former Eagles safety Chris Maragos of $43.5 million dollars after finding his surgeon, Dr. James Bradley, the team doctor for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Rothman Orthopaedic Associates (ROA), whose physicians served as the Eagles’ orthopedic doctors, liable. Bradley operated on Maragos’s injured knee in 2017, but failed to repair a meniscal root tear, and ROA doctors kept recommending rehab despite his complaints of pain. As his knee worsened, he required more surgeries, which ultimately ended his NFL career.[7] While Maragos’s matter is not a perfect comparison, it demonstrates that doctors associated with an NFL team can be liable for negligence.

Whether Hurts can sue turns on whether the doctors who treated him are Eagles employees or if they are independent contractors. If a court decides that Hurts’s doctors are employed by the team, co-employee immunity could shield them from liability, leaving workers’ compensation as his only remedy.[8] However, the vast majority of NFL teams do not employ their doctors directly. Harvard’s Football Players Health Study found that 30 of 32 teams independently contract with doctors, which could place those doctors outside co-employee immunity.[9] Hurts’s medical team involved not only Eagles medical staff, but also specialists at the Cleveland Clinic in London.[10] Since most teams contract with their doctors independently, and because Hurts also was treated by outside London providers, the doctors are likely more exposed to a lawsuit than the team itself.

Hurts may never file a lawsuit, as he is expected to make a full recovery. A lawsuit can be time-consuming and expensive. Chris Maragos won millions, but only after his career ended and after a trial. With the NFL and NFLPA now jointly reviewing how Hurts’s care was handled, the results could shape what claim he later decides to bring, if any.

 

[1] Jalen Hurts blood clots: Biggest unanswered questions for Eagles about star QB’s health, https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/biggest-unanswered-questions-eagles-jalen-hurts/

[2] Eagles won’t be punished for handling of Jalen Hurts’ blood clots: Source, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7708077/2026/10/20/eagles-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-punishment/

[3] NFL Players Association calls for full investigation into Jalen Hurts’ medical care, https://abcnews.com/US/nfl-players-association-calls-full-investigation-jalen-hurts/story?id=137439814

[4] NFL, players’ union working together to review handling of Jalen Hurts’ blood clot diagnosis, https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-players-union-working-together-review-handling-jalen-hurts-blood-clot-diagnosis

[5] 77 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 565 (2026).

[6] 77 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 481 (2026).

[7] Maragos v. Bradley, 326 A.3d 475 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2024); Eagles lose team doctors over future malpractice risk, former Super Bowl champion’s lawsuit, per report, https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/eagles-lose-team-doctors-over-future-malpraactice-risk-former-super-bowl-champions-lawsuit-per-report/

[8] 77 Pa. Stat. Ann. § 72 (2026).

[9] Protecting and Promoting the Health of NFL Players: Legal and Ethical Analysis and Recommendations, Chapter 2 at 91, https://footballplayershealth.harvard.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/07_Ch2_Club_Docs.pdf

[10] Jalen Hurts’ blood clot diagnosis: A timeline of his care and the questions that followed, https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7711821/2026/10/22/eagles-jalen-hurts-blood-clots-timeline-medical-care/