In the latest Jalen Hurts injury update, the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 NFL season after doctors found multiple blood clots in his lungs. Hurts faces at least three months on blood thinners, and the Eagles and his agent say they expect a full recovery. For a 2-4 Philadelphia team on a four-game losing streak, the diagnosis likely leaves Tanner McKee in charge of an offense that was already struggling with Hurts in the lineup.
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Jalen Hurts Injury: What Happened
The Jalen Hurts injury began as a superficial blood clot in his calf, found during an ultrasound in London before Philadelphia’s Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Eagles’ medical staff decided Hurts could play safely, and he started the 19-17 defeat. A follow-up ultrasound after the team returned home showed the clot had moved. Philadelphia ruled Hurts out of the Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers and placed him on injured reserve on October 17, the first IR stint of his NFL career.
Further testing on Monday, October 19, confirmed deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli, meaning a clot had traveled from his leg to both lungs. A joint statement from the Eagles and his agent, Nicole Lynn, said treatment would involve blood-thinning medication only and described his prognosis as very good. According to NFL Network and ESPN, the treatment will keep Hurts off the field for at least three months, which effectively ends his 2026 season.
The Eagles faced criticism for letting Hurts play in London with a known clot. The NFL reportedly reviewed the decision, found the team handled the situation appropriately and will not discipline Philadelphia.
What the Eagles Are Losing Without Jalen Hurts
Hurts, 28, led both Alabama and Oklahoma to the College Football Playoff and finished as Heisman Trophy runner-up at Oklahoma. Philadelphia drafted him in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft, and he went on to become a three-time Pro Bowler and the Super Bowl LIX MVP after the 2024 season. Since 2021, the Eagles are 58-25 in games Hurts has started.
The 2026 season was going badly before the diagnosis. Philadelphia ranked 29th in total yards per game heading into Week 6, and the injury list goes well beyond the quarterback. Saquon Barkley missed Weeks 5 and 6 with a hamstring injury, Tank Bigsby and Will Shipley are on injured reserve, and the offensive line is adjusting to life after Lane Johnson’s retirement. Losing Hurts adds to a roster-wide problem rather than creating one on its own.
Who Plays Quarterback for the Eagles Now?
Tanner McKee started the Week 6 game against Carolina and completed 26 of 45 passes for 215 yards, taking three sacks in a 25-14 loss. Rookie Cole Payton is behind him on the depth chart, after the Eagles released veteran Andy Dalton on October 9.
The Eagles’ front office can stick with McKee and Payton or pursue a veteran starter before the NFL trade deadline. Trading for a quarterback would signal that Philadelphia still believes the 2026 season can be saved. Standing pat would suggest the club is managing the rest of the year while Hurts recovers.
Eagles Odds Without Jalen Hurts
The market’s verdict on Hurts’ value was clear before the season-ending news. Philadelphia started Week 6 as a slight favorite against Carolina across the market and drifted to a 3.5-point underdog once Hurts was ruled out.
The next test is Eagles v Cowboys on Monday Night Football, with the Dallas Cowboys visiting Lincoln Financial Field on October 26 at 8:15 p.m. ET. Cloudbet has the Cowboys at 1.46 on the moneyline and the Eagles at 2.70, which implies roughly a 37% chance of a Philadelphia win. On the handicap, the Eagles are +4 at 1.90 and the Cowboys -4 at 1.91, and the game total is set at 44 points with both the over and the under at 1.89.
The team totals point to a tighter game than the headline handicap suggests. The Eagles’ over 19.5 is the shorter price at 1.77, with the under at 2.03, while the Cowboys’ under 24.5 is favored at 1.73, with the over at 2.08. Bettors who want more cushion on Philadelphia can take the Eagles +7 at 1.56.
The long-term prices in Cloudbet’s NFL odds tell a starker story. The Eagles are 201.0 to win the Super Bowl and 90.7 to win the NFC, implied chances of roughly 0.5% and 1.1%. The Eagles’ Super Bowl and NFC prices reflect a team that had lost four straight before the season-ending diagnosis, not a contender knocked off course by one injury.
Odds correct as of October 21, 2026 and subject to change.
What the Jalen Hurts Injury Means for the NFC East
Philadelphia’s next two games are both against division rivals. After hosting Dallas, the Eagles visit the Washington Commanders on Sunday Night Football in Week 8. Two NFC East games in under a week will go a long way toward deciding whether the Eagles’ season is still alive or whether attention turns to 2027 and Hurts’ return.
For the Cowboys and Commanders, Hurts’ absence removes the quarterback who has made the Eagles the division’s benchmark in recent seasons. The Week 7 result against Dallas will show whether the market has priced Philadelphia correctly without him. Prices for the Cowboys’ and Commanders’ upcoming games, along with every other NFL and college matchup, are listed on Cloudbet’s American football odds page.
Follow the Eagles v Cowboys odds and bet live during Monday Night Football at Cloudbet’s crypto sportsbook.
