Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts has been ruled out of Sunday’s Week 6 game against the Carolina Panthers after doctors found movement in a superficial blood clot in his leg, according to CBS Sports. The Jalen Hurts injury traces back to a calf issue he suffered in the Week 4 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 4.
The situation escalated during the Eagles’ trip to London. An ultrasound performed the Saturday before the Week 5 game against the Jacksonville Jaguars revealed the superficial blood clot in Hurts’ leg. Eagles medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the results at the time and cleared him to play.
What The Team Said About Hurts’ Status
“Our medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the results and concluded that activity and mobility were important and that Jalen could safely play,” the Eagles said in a statement at the time, according to CBS Sports.
Hurts played without limitation against Jacksonville and practiced in full on Wednesday. A follow-up ultrasound that same night showed the clot had moved, prompting the Eagles to shut him down for the Panthers game. “His health and safety are our highest priority,” the team said in its latest statement. No timeline for his return has been provided.
Backup Options And Lineup Questions
The sources do not name who will start at quarterback for Philadelphia against Carolina, and no depth chart details have been released. Whoever takes the snaps will likely be without his top two skill-position weapons. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith has not played since Week 3 against the Rams, and running back Saquon Barkley has been sidelined since a hamstring injury in Week 4.
If Smith remains unavailable, the passing attack would lean on Makai Lemon, Darius Cooper and Dontayvion Wicks. Smith became Philadelphia’s top receiver after AJ Brown was traded to the New England Patriots in the offseason, and his absence already reshaped the Eagles’ passing game plan for London.
At running back, the Eagles would turn to Dameon Pierce and Carson Steele as their top two options behind Barkley. Tank Bigsby was placed on injured reserve, and Will Shipley is expected to miss multiple weeks, thinning an already stretched backfield. The team’s offensive line has also been in flux, dealing with Lane Johnson’s retirement, the trade of Cam Jurgens and injuries to Landon Dickerson and Drew Kendall.
Season Numbers For The Injured Eagles
Smith has caught 19 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown in three games this season. Barkley, last year’s Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for 2,005 yards and 13 touchdowns on 345 carries in 2024, has managed just 182 yards on 36 carries with no touchdowns through four games in 2026. The pileup of injuries to Hurts, Smith and Barkley leaves Philadelphia relying on backup-level production across its three most important offensive positions heading into Carolina.
What’s Next
The Eagles face the Panthers in Week 6 with Hurts sidelined by the blood clot diagnosis. No official word has been given on when he might return to practice or game action, and the team has not announced further medical updates beyond stating his health remains the top priority. Philadelphia’s position in the NFC East adds weight to how the club manages his recovery in the coming weeks.
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