The Philadelphia Eagles are currently 2-4 in the young season. The NFC East in general has had a rough start. The Eagles are also only one game behind the New York Giants for the lead in the division. Their scoring offense and passing offense rank 28th in the NFL. Their defensive ranking is not much better at 27th in overall defense.

This week, the Eagles and their fans were dealt a significant blow. Starting quarterback Jalen Hurts has been lost for the season due to a blood clot concern. Doctors discovered “multiple blood clots” in Hurts’ lungs. The treatment Hurts will need to undergo is expected to keep him off the field of play for at least three months.

While this is a devastating blow to a team that was already struggling, this is one of those conditions that requires understanding and patience. Some injuries have immediate impacts, like a knee or ankle. Some are more concerning with long-term effects like concussions. Blood clots can be even more scary. Former first ballot Hall of Famer and current Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders, has intimate knowledge of this concern.

In 2021, Sanders began the Jackson State season believing the discomfort he was experiencing was simply the cost of being the elite pro athlete that he was. Players get dinged up, have lingering pain and Sanders did not think much of the pain. In September of that year, doctors discovered it was much more than simply residual pain.

The specific diagnosis was that Sanders developed a femoral arterial blood clot as well as compartment syndrome. In total, over the next year, Sanders would have eight surgical operations. He spent almost a month in a Mississippi hospital, mostly in the intensive care unit, and lost 40 pounds in the process. Many fans will remember a Jackson State game that included a frail Sanders wearing layers and a blanket, in a wheelchair.

Sanders has often referred to that game as a story of inspiration. He had noticed Shedeur’s numbers declining with every game he could not attend. When Sanders had reached a level that would permit a field trip, he showed up for his son because he could.

In June 2023, Sanders was coming off the first very successful Spring Game in recent memory in Colorado. A sold-out crowd for a glorified practice in the rain that was nationally televised on ESPN. The timing was helpful as his minute-to-minute presence was less necessary at that point in the calendar. Sanders underwent multiple procedures to remove blood clots from his leg and thigh.

Shortly after the 2023 concern, Sanders introduced the fans to his regiment and personal caregiver Lauren publicly. Whether it's his blood clots concern or the bladder cancer that came later, Sanders has been publicly open about his condition to raise awareness.

Towards the end of the 2024 season, Sanders would notice a different kind of discomfort and a slight lack of typical functionality. That concern became bladder cancer. By July 2025, Sanders, Lauren and his oncologist met with the media to reveal he had developed a cancerous growth in his bladder, sought treatment and was cancer free.

In October 2025, there was another scare. This time was complicated by the cancer and bladder surgery he had recently overcome. Sanders reported to his medical team “severe throbbing and lack of blood flow” following a 14-point loss to TCU. That concern led to an additional aspiration thrombectomy procedure.

In 2026, Sanders appears to be managing the blood clot concern rather well. He is monitored regularly. A saving grace for someone in Sanders’ position is that the University of Colorado has a medical facility one floor below the football operations inside the Champions Center on campus.

Some factors are bigger than that game. While Eagles fans might see this as a sizable inconvenience to the rest of their season, this demands patience. The human body cannot properly function without adequate blood flow. Not addressing such a concern can lead to real life-threatening circumstances.

Blood clots are always concerning; however, Hurts is experiencing them in his lungs. Adding even more urgency to an already urgent concern. The Philadelphia Eagles are doing exactly what they should do. Sit Hurts down immediately and ensure he is getting the urgent and long-term care he would need to ensure this does not become a larger issue.

Deion Sanders is the pro sports poster child for this medical issue. At no point, once officially diagnosed, did he try to push through. Neither should Hurts nor the Eagles. While it will not likely be public, one must believe a blood clots conversation between Hurts and Sanders is all but a guarantee. Assuming they haven’t spoken on the subject already.