Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts played what will likely be his final game of the 2026 NFL season in Week 5 against the Jacksonville Jaguars in London.
Hurts entered the matchup dealing with a superficial blood clot in his left leg. Few outside of the Eagles' organization were aware of this, as the only indication anything had gone awry with the 28-year-old quarterback was his inclusion on Philadelphia's Friday, Oct. 9, practice report with a calf injury.
However, former Eagles center Jason Kelce – who was in the booth for NFL Network's broadcast of the game – acknowledged sensing there was something "a little odd" about the situation surrounding Hurts in the lead-up to Week 5.
"There was a disturbance in the air," Kelce explained during
ESPN's "Monday Night Countdown" pregame show. "We found out late that Jalen had been added to the injury report – later in the week than would be typical for a calf injury, so all of a sudden that was a little odd.
"Then, before the game, he didn’t come right away for warmups, so we’re kind of sitting there, 'OK. Maybe this calf injury is more serious than we kind of anticipated – he’s not going to play or something. Then, right before the game even up until the National Anthem, he’s in the locker room. We’re kind of waiting to see if he’s coming out.
"It was odd being there. It was different because, as you guys know, most of those guys are already out on the field, so it was a very different situation than usual."
Less than a week after the London game, it was revealed Hurts had developed several blood clots in his lungs. The medical issue is expected to sideline Hurts for the remainder of the 2026 NFL season, though the Eagles and his agent, Nicole Lynn, have expressed optimism about his long-term outlook.
That said, the Eagles have come under fire for their handling of Hurts, with many questioning why he was allowed to play – and fly to and from London – after the discovery of the initial clot. There also were reports Hurts had not slept for 36 hours before the game against the Jaguars because of the malady, though Lynn has since refuted those claims.
Kelce is empathetic to those seeking answers about exactly what unfolded in regard to Hurts' medical situation.
"I get why everyone wants these answers, because something clearly happened," Kelce said. "It went from the calf to the lungs, and everybody wants to know how this happened. This is scary, man. This could be life-threatening issues. Thankfully, he is safe and it seems like everything is gonna be OK. But it is concerning."
At the same time, he made it clear he wasn't trying to question the Eagles' medical staff – with whom he has a strong personal relationship – and that he believes the doctors wouldn't have allowed Hurts to play if they thought it was unsafe to do so.
"I do know these guys, the way they operate," Kelce explained. "I think that this was the protocol that was set up in place for this superficial clot, or wherever it started and how it got developed. It's just incredibly unfortunate."
That's part of the reason Kelce is hoping a team doctor or medical staff representative will eventually address the situation to clear the air.
"That would solve a lot of this," Kelce said.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why Jason Kelce had 'odd' feeling amid Jalen Hurts' Week 5 health issue
