The Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys are set for more than just an important divisional showdown, as they will also take center stage in a highly anticipated Week 7 Monday Night Football matchup. Unfortunately, Nick Sirianni will be without Jalen Hurts, who is out for the season due to medical issues.
Hurts was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli days ago, prompting the medical staff to decide that the best course of action was to keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season to protect his health. As a result, Tanner McKee will take the reins as the starting quarterback at Lincoln Financial Field.
This setback in the quarterback room has triggered changes to the depth chart. Cole Payton is now the first backup, and all indications suggest that he will remain in that role through the Eagles’ final week of the season.
What we know so far about Hurts’ situation?
Jalen Hurts is sidelined after a scary health update that started with a leg issue originally spotted back on October 10 in London. While it was initially thought to be just a minor superficial calf issue—leading to him being cleared to play the next day—follow-up tests later revealed deep vein thrombosis that spread to his lungs.
Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles warms up.
Because of how dangerously this escalated, the NFL and the Players Association are currently looking into the whole situation to investigate potential medical negligence, trying to figure out if the team’s medical staff dropped the ball by clearing him to fly across the Atlantic and play contact football when things were far more serious.
Injuries hit the Eagles hard
Beyond the situation at quarterback, the Eagles have been absolutely hammered by injuries across their roster this 2026 season. Their explosive offense has taken a massive hit, with Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith both sidelined by nagging hamstring injuries.
To make matters worse, the backfield depth is completely stretched as backup running back Will Shipley landed on injured reserve with a foot injury, while key defensive contributors like Nolan Smith Jr. (concussion protocol) and Michael Carter II (abdomen) have also missed significant time. With critical starters sidelined on both sides of the ball, Philadelphia is facing an uphill battle just to keep their lineup intact each week.
Key takeaways
- Jalen Hurts is out for the season due to deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary emboli.
- Tanner McKee takes over as starting quarterback, with Cole Payton as the primary backup.
- The NFL and NFLPA are investigating potential medical negligence regarding Jalen Hurts’ London trip.
