Updated October 16, 2026, 9:54 a.m. ET
The blood clot that will keep Philadelphia Eagles star Jalen Hurts sidelined for a Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers is located in the quarterback’s calf and “superficial,” according to the team.
Superficial blood clots in the leg are different from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), but, according to medical experts who specialize in blood clotting, they should still be taken seriously.
“A lot of times people don’t think about it in athletes and in people who don’t have a lot of other risk factors, so I think it’s important to bring attention to the symptoms that people should be evaluated with, both athletes and non-athletes,” Dr. Jordan Schaefer, a hematologist at the University of Michigan Health System and associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Michigan Medical School, told USA TODAY Sports.
What is a superficial blood clot?
Superficial blood clots often cause redness, pain or a cord-like lump that can be felt under the skin, according to Shcaefer. Any blood clots are at risk of breaking off and traveling to the lungs, which could lead to a pulmonary embolism, a potentially fatal event. Schaefer said superficial clots are important not only because of the symptoms, but also because 10 percent of patients find that the clot travels to the deep venous system and becomes more serious.
It’s more common for clots to exist in the deep vein system higher up in the leg, Schaefer said. The Eagles said a follow-up ultrasound performed Oct. 14 revealed movement in the small blood clot in Hurts’ leg and ruled the Super Bowl 59 MVP for Sunday’s game against the Panthers.
Dr. Rushad Patell, a hematologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, wrote in an email to USA TODAY Sports that superficial vein thrombosis — or blood clot — exists on a spectrum. Some cases are relatively low risk and require only symptomatic treatment, such as warm compresses, support stockings, and nonsteroidal inflammatory medications like ibuprofen.
“Not all blood clots are preventable,” Patell wrote, “especially when they occur following an injury.”
Jalen Hurts injured during Rams game
According to the Eagles’ release, Hurts sought treatment after his calf was stepped on during an Oct. 4 game against the Los Angeles Rams. This type of trauma could potentially lead to the formation of a superficial blood clot. Trauma can damage the endothelium, which is the lining of the blood vessel, and can be injured — damage to the wall is one of three classic mechanisms that contribute to the formation of blood clots, according to Patell.
“It is plausible that an injury to the cleat could have contributed to the development of a superficial clot,” Patell wrote. “However, without prior imaging, it would be impossible to establish whether the clot was already present or definitively attribute it to the injury.”
The Eagles said their medical staff deemed Hurts OK to play against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 11 in London, England, following an ultrasound performed the day before the game. Doctors said “mobility and activity were important,” according to the release.
Schaefer believes that long periods of travel could affect an athlete’s clotting due to minimal blood flow – individuals don’t move around much on a plane or bus.
Long-distance travel is a recognized, although relatively small, risk factor for venous thrombosis, Patell wrote.
“It would be difficult to attribute any change in the clot to a single theft, particularly in the case of a recent injury,” Patell wrote.
Repeat imaging can sometimes identify changes that cause clinicians to reconsider the initial management strategy for a clot and are necessary to monitor improvement. In a conservative approach, 72 hours would be considered a normal interval between exams, Schaefer said.
Treatment Options for Superficial Blood Clots
There may be some variability in terms of recovery depending on individual circumstances, Schaefer said.
“A lot of times what we do is kind of follow people closely over time,” Schaefer said. “It’s not like a one-time visit and then you’re done. It’s often a reassessment of how you’re feeling and a physical examination of how the leg looks. Is the swelling, redness and examination improving?”
Patell wrote that recovery depends on the location and extent of the clot as well as the type of treatment required. The length of the clot is also a factor to consider, Schaefer said.
Patients with larger clots or those at higher risk of progression may need blood thinning medications – blood thinners – for about 45 days.
If Hurts is treated with blood thinners, Schaefer said, his recovery timetable would be more complicated because football is a contact sport. Anticoagulant medications increase the risk of serious bleeding with traumatic injuries, including internal bleeding.
These are obvious serious concerns. But the initial symptoms that brought Hurts to the Eagles’ training room — redness, leg pain, swelling, “things that don’t seem right,” Schaefer said — can be difficult to distinguish from a muscle injury.
“I think it’s important for people to seek medical attention and work with their doctor to determine the appropriate treatment for their individual situation,” Schaefer said.
“A lot of times we want to detect these things early,” Schaefer added. “It can potentially get worse.”
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