Carolina Panthers will face Eagles without Jalen Hurts. Here’s why, who’s next at QB
The Carolina Panthers won’t face Super Bowl-winning quarterback Jalen Hurts when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles on Sunday afternoon.
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In a statement from the Eagles on Thursday morning, the team announced that Hurts will be out after the discovery of “a superficial blood clot” in his calf as the organization determines the appropriate course of treatment.
The health and safety of the Eagles’ starting quarterback remains the team’s “highest priority,” the team wrote in a statement.
The news is undoubtedly scary for Hurts. Blood clots have the potential to be life-threatening, not just season-ending. The Carolina Panthers know how much caution such a condition requires; right tackle Taylor Moton discovered multiple blood clots in his lung this summer and just this week returned to the practice field.
According to WebMD, “superficial venous thrombosis” is a blood clot that forms in a vein close to the surface of the skin. The website adds that such blood clots “don’t normally break loose and travel through the bloodstream” but that they “can be painful and need treatment.”
Hurts is 65-32 overall as a starter for the Philadelphia franchise, according to Pro Football Reference — making him one of the winningest quarterbacks since entering the league as a second-round pick in the 2020 draft. He’s had an up-and-down 2026 through five contests: two wins, three losses, 933 passing yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions; he’s also added 107 rushing yards and one rushing score.
Before the news broke Thursday, defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero praised Hurts’ mobility in his weekly call with reporters — after all, mobile quarterbacks have been the primary weakness for this Panthers defense to date, as seen in the outputs from Caleb Williams and Deshaun Watson.
“Jalen obviously brings the ability to run and throw on the run and all those things,” Evero said. “Again, it’s how do we rush that guy with four guys? Five guys? Using spies? And a big part of that, too, is, how do you cover? When you’re playing a guy who’s not as mobile, your coverage window is not as long.
“But when you play a guy who can run around, you have to be ready in zone coverages to find a body and get on them. And if you’re in man coverage, you gotta be ready to strain a little bit longer in the down. Those are all things we’ll continue to work on and get better at.”
The Panthers now will have to prepare for Tanner McKee, a 6-foot-6, 231-pound gunslinger out of Stanford. McKee has played in six games in the NFL since being drafted by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2023 draft; he’s 1-1 as a starter and has 597 passing yards, five passing touchdowns and one interception to his NFL name, according to Pro Football Reference. He hasn’t seen the field in 2026.
The Eagles also have rookie Cole Payton out of North Dakota State listed on their roster. And there is also the possibility the team brings back veteran Andy Dalton to start Sunday.
Dalton, 38, was traded by the Panthers to the Eagles this offseason; he was released by the Eagles last week, after he threw a costly red-zone interception in Week 3. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reported Thursday that teams have reached out to Dalton since his release, and that Hurts’ condition could be enough to get the Eagles to re-sign the quarterback with familiarity of the Eagles’ offensive system.
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Panthers captain and starting linebacker Devin Lloyd told reporters that the team learned of Hurts not being able to go right before hitting the practice field. He admitted, however, that not much changed Thursday, specifically.
“I don’t think it’s that different,” Lloyd said, when asked about Thursday’s practice. “Obviously they are different quarterbacks. But they have everything scripted, so we just run what’s scripted. … The limited tape that we do have (of McKee), we’ll just study that. Go based off what we (see). And ultimately, we gotta be ready to make in-game adjustments if what we see on film doesn’t add up.”
Reserve quarterback Kenny Pickett also was asked about McKee. The two intersected in Philly during that Super Bowl season.
“Really smart player, prepares really well,” Pickett said. “He won’t be surprised to be in there and play, in terms of his preparation and what they want to do offensively. He’ll be ready to go mentally, and he’s a good player. I know we’ll get his best.”
The Eagles on Thursday acknowledged that Hurts’ condition has been under intensive supervision since last week.
“On Thursday, Oct. 8, Jalen visited the training room after practice requesting treatment for his calf,” the statement reads. “He informed the medical staff he had been cleated during the Rams game on Oct. 4. This was his first treatment session for the calf injury following the game, after having practiced in full both Wednesday and Thursday. On Friday, Jalen received treatment, practiced in full, and was added to the practice report.
“Out of an abundance of caution, an ultrasound was performed on Saturday following the team’s flight to London and walkthrough. The ultrasound revealed a superficial blood clot. Our medical staff and doctors in London reviewed the results and concluded that activity and mobility were important and that Jalen could safely play. Doctors recommended a follow-up ultrasound within 72 hours of the game and the return flight to Philadelphia.
“Jalen played without limitation in the game Sunday, received treatment on Monday and Tuesday, and practiced in full on Wednesday, as reflected in the practice report. Throughout our time in London and this week, we have remained in communication with the league office regarding the matter.”
The team statement added that “on Wednesday night, a follow-up ultrasound revealed movement in the small blood clot” — ultimately sealing Hurts’ absence on Sunday.
The Eagles are in jeopardy of having several other playmakers sidelined on Sunday beyond Hurts, too. The team has over 20 players listed on its injury report this week. The list includes starting running back Saquon Barkley (hamstring) and starting wide receiver Devonta Smith (hamstring/toe), neither of whom practiced Wednesday.
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This story was originally published October 15, 2026 at 2:16 PM.
