Jalen Hurts joins Serena Williams, Chris Bosh among athletes who battled blood clots

Jalen Hurts joins Serena Williams, Chris Bosh among athletes who battled blood clots.

Key points

• The former Miami Heat star was ruled out for the remainder of the 2014-15 season in February 2015 when a blood clot was discovered in his lungs.
• USA TODAY Sports' Chris Bumbaca breaks down Jalen Hurts' season-ending absence due to blood clots and what it means for the Eagles moving forward.
• Serena Williams, Chris Bosh and Victor Wembanyama are among athletes who have experienced blood clots.
• Williams developed another pulmonary embolism in 2017 after giving birth to her first daughter, Olympia, via emergency C-section surgery.

Jalen Hurts joins Serena Williams, Chris Bosh among athletes who battled blood clots. Danielle Lerner USA TODAY. Jalen Hurts' season could end after serious blood clot diagnosis.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was diagnosed this week with blood clots in both of his lungs, a serious medical condition probable to end his NFL season, and he's not the first professional athlete to agreement with blood clots.

Serena Williams, Chris Bosh and Victor Wembanyama are among athletes who have experienced blood clots. It can be life-threatening.

Hurts was initially diagnosed with superficial vein thrombosis in his calf while in London last week for the Eagles' Oct. 11 game against the Jaguars, but the blood clots traveled to his lungs and the current diagnosis is deep vein thrombosis with bilateral pulmonary emboli, according to a statement published by Hurts' agent on Oct. 19.

Hurts will be treated with blood thinners. It medical experts say growth the risk of serious bleeding with traumatic injuries, including internal bleeding. Consequently, Hurts won't be able to participate in contact activities and is unlikely to play again this NFL season.

Meanwhile, the prognosis for blood clots depends on where in the body they occur and how they are treated. Here's what other athletes with similar diagnoses to Hurts have remarked concerning blood clots. Serena Williams 'on my death bed' during blood clot scare.

In 2011, Williams was hospitalized and treated for multiple pulmonary embolisms in her lungs. After she cut her foot, a blood clot developed and eventually created its way into the major artery feeding her lungs. Williams spent months on anticoagulants (blood-thinning medication) and eventually returned to playing tennis.

"I was on my death bed at one point, quite literally, " Williams remarked.

Williams developed another pulmonary embolism in 2017 after giving birth to her first daughter, Olympia, via emergency C-section surgery. After the surgery, Williams temporarily halted taking her daily anticoagulant medication and felt short of breath. She asked doctors for a CT scan. It made public a number of blood clots in her lungs.

Williams shared in an interview with Vogue that since of her previous experience with blood clots, she knew the signs and was able to flag to doctors that something was wrong. But complications from heavy blood thinners caused her to hemorrhage at her C-section site and required Williams to undergo multiple surgeries, including one to insert a vein filter to prevent more clots from reaching her heart and lungs.

In both instances, Williams returned to championship form after recovering from blood clots. Out of her 23 Grand Slam singles titles, 10 were won after her first pulmonary embolism in 2011. After her post-birth complications, Williams worked her way back into the top 10 rankings and played a number of more years on tour before retiring in 2022, but produced another comeback to tennis this summer. Chris Bosh forced to retire after blood clot battle.

NBA player Chris Bosh is perhaps the most famous example of blood clots impacting a professional athlete after recurring blood clots concluded his basketball career.

Notably, the former Miami Heat star was ruled out for the remainder of the 2014-15 season in February 2015 when a blood clot was discovered in his lungs. One year afterwards, another blood clot was identified in his leg and Bosh was forced to retire at age 31 after the NBA ruled it a career-ending illness.

This February, Bosh suffered another pulmonary embolism and remarked in a social media video that he was "lucky to be alive" and had to be hospitalized.

"I almost dropped dead pretty much and came back to life. I'm not joking, " Bosh informed HoopsHype.com. "You obtained to agreement with it for the rest of your life. I thought I was past it. I am not. So, you know, it's just making sure I stay on top of my regimen." Victor Wembanyama's 'life-changing' blood clot diagnosis.

San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama was diagnosed last year with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in his right shoulder. It concluded his 2024-25 NBA season.

Although DVT typically occurs in the legs or lower extremities, Wembanyama's condition was rarer since it developed in his arm. The blood clot was discovered after he returned to San Antonio from playing in the NBA All-Star Game in San Francisco; frequent plane travel can growth the risk of DVT due to inactivity.

Wembanyama immediately underwent surgery on his shoulder to prevent the blood clot from migrating to his lungs. He was able return to basketball for the 2025-26 season. It culminated in the Spurs reaching the NBA Finals.

"It is life-changing, " Wembanyama remarked of his diagnosis. "I mean, spending so much time in hospitals and around doctors and hearing more bad news than I wish I heard. As you remarked, it is traumatic, but in the long run I think it's going to be highly beneficial, since even though I don't wish it on (anybody), it makes you understand lessons that nothing else could have produced you understand." Damian Lillard's early diagnosis speeded up return, of course.

Another prominent NBA star to accord with blood clotting is Damian Lillard. This person was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf in March 2025 while playing for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Lillard remarked he noticed soreness in his calf combined with abnormal swelling. It prompted him to alert Bucks medical staff.

"My leg just felt swollen, " he remarked. "It was like super tight. Since I was just like 'This ain't normal.' We went from there.", and that was kind of what led me to go to the team in the first place.

Notably, the early diagnosis, along with constant daily treatment, supported him secure back on the court sooner. Lillard began on blood-thinning medication and was able to return that April in time to play in the Bucks' first-round playoff series. It he stated doctors informed him was a remarkably quick recovery. Deion Sanders battles family history of blood clotting problems.

Colorado football coach Deion Sanders underwent surgery in 2025 to remove blood clots from his lower body, the second time he's had that surgery after an initial procedure in 2023.

Sanders remarked his family had a history of blood clotting difficulties. He remarked his mother informed him one uncle died from such complications, another almost did and that his mother additionally had matters with clotting. Zack Wheeler sidelined for months after clot in shoulder.

Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler had surgery in August 2025 to remove a blood clot in his right shoulder but afterwards required a second surgery and missed the rest of the MLB season.

Notably, the pitcher initially complained of soreness in his throwing shoulder after a start. Examinations made public a deep vein thrombosis, and Wheeler's first surgery was a non-invasive procedure to dissolve the blood clot in his shoulder.

But Wheeler was afterwards diagnosed with a condition called venous thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS). It occurs when repetitive overhead motion pinches a vein near the collarbone and causes a blood clot. A second surgery to treat TOS removed Wheeler's rib and sidelined him for another eight months.

At the particularly least, Wheeler secured a souvenir from the ordeal. Wheeler remarked he keeps the rib that surgeons removed in a closet in his house. He missed Opening Day 2026 but returned to the mound for the Phillies on April 25. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

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