TV Analyst Michael Robinson should apologize to Jalen Hurts

Former NFL fullback, Super Bowl champion and current NFL Network and NBC Sports television football analyst Michael Robinson owes Eagles starting quarterback Jalen Hurts an apology and a retraction, in my opinion.

Robinson recently made several inconsiderate and reckless comments about Hurts on the air following the Eagles’ release of a statement on Hurts’ condition that currently is inhibiting their QB1 from playing.

Hurts was preliminarily diagnosed with a superficial blood clot Oct. 10th—a day before their game against the Jaguars overseas in London; this, after first being cleated in their previous game at the Rams Oct. 4th. The Eagles noted through the statement below that Hurts’ “small blood clot” moved from its original observed location after he played in the Jaguars game with this condition. As a result, Hurts is declared out for their upcoming game Sunday vs the Panthers—at a minimum. https://x.com/Eagles/status/2110778380455170116?s=20

Now, please keep all that in mind when you listen to what Robinson said—on national television—about Hurts. Watch the video below for yourselves: https://x.com/JonMarksMedia/status/2111255871611097219?s=20

In this same video above, Robinson said, “…Again, I’m not saying I know nothing guys, but if I’m playing Devil’s advocate, and I’m thinking that way: If I'm Jalen Hurts − or anybody in Jalen Hurts' camp − I'm saying, 'Well if everybody's hurt, I'm hurt, too.' Guys, I’ve been cleated before, and I’m not saying a superficial blood clot isn’t serious, I’m not saying that; but I would advise all of our viewers to go google superficial blood clot as opposed to a real blood clot. But again, I’m not a medical guy, but I’m just saying, to me, to me, it looked like Jalen is kind of getting himself out of the fray so that this lost season..he's pulling himself out so that this doesn't look like it's on me. Now again guys, I don’t know nothing…."

The host immediately attempted to cut Robinson off after the rant in the video above. Evidently, it appears as if the host felt the commentary was problematic too.

In my opinion, it is.

The inferred accusations in Robinson’s rant below are dangerous on several fronts: From implying Jalen Hurts may be quitting on his team (a cardinal sin in sports), to implying that Hurts is either overstating and/or using his diagnosed blood clot since it’s “superficial,” and not “a real blood clot” to abscond fault for this tumultuous season, to Robinson apparently assuming Hurts’ diagnosis couldn’t become potentially severe and thus require vigilant medical monitoring because it is “superficial” —all the while telling viewers to “google” a superficial blood clot because it’s “superficial.”

Well beyond just Googling it like Robinson requested, I conferred with a medical expert who used to be a prominent doctor in a major city hospital for decades and is recently retired. Obviously, this doctor has not treated Hurts.

First of all: In general, a superficial blood clot is not entirely isolated from the deeper venous system, and can potentially progress to a deep vein thrombosis through a few specific mechanisms.

A superficial blood clot—known medically as superficial venous thrombosis (SVT) or superficial thrombophlebitis—can progress into a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) below the knee or in the calf through two primary pathways:

1.) Direct Propagation through the Small Saphenous Vein (SSV):

The calf has a major superficial vein called the small saphenous vein (SSV), which runs up the back of the lower leg. If a clot forms in this superficial vein, it can physically grow (propagate) upward. When it reaches the back of the knee, the SSV connects directly to the deep system at the saphenopopliteal junction. The clot can cross this junction and extend into the popliteal vein, a major deep vein of the leg, officially becoming a DVT.

2.) Extension through Perforator Veins:

Perforator veins act like “bridges” or rungs on a ladder, connecting the superficial veins near the skin to the deep veins hidden within the calf muscles. If a superficial clot develops in the calf, the thrombus can extend horizontally through these lower leg perforating veins. Once it crosses through, it can enter the deep tibioperoneal venous system of the lower leg.

Key Risk Factors for Progression:

While some medical experts will say most below-the-knee superficial clots can be managed conservatively with warm compresses, elevation, and NSAIDs (like Ibuprofen—for those who don’t know ), certain factors increase the risk of it turning into a DVT:

• Proximity to a Junction: If the superficial clot is within 3 to 5 centimeters of where the superficial and deep veins meet, the risk of it spreading across is highly elevated.

• Clot Length: A superficial clot that is 5 centimeters or longer is much more likely to extend into the deep system.

• Systemic Hypercoagulability: Background traits like inherited clotting disorders, active cancer, or prolonged immobility make the blood more prone to aggressive clotting, pushing a local superficial clot deeper into the leg.

Now while ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Ian Rappoport reported this Saturday morning that the Eagles are not planning to place Hurts on injured reserve, Hurts does remain sidelined indefinitely because of his ‘superficial’ blood clot, per their sources; and that it goes without question that it is intelligent for Hurts to remian under medical observation and not play for the near future. https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/2111422046668210622?s=20

Regardless, even if Hurts returns to play next week vs. the Cowboys in the now wide open NFC East division, that development wouldn’t solidify Robinson’s reckless inferences above—which included that Hurts may be quitting/ “getting himself out of the fray” of the Eagles’ season since it’s “lost” and that his condition couldn’t potentially become serious regardless of probability. Even a 1% likelihood is 1% too much for a clot potentially traveling to dangerous locations in the body like the lungs. At least for me it is.

Now, the Eagles’ official statement above still did not divulge specifically where Hurts was cleated, nor how close that cleating was to his knee or where his “small blood clot” “moved.” It stated that Hurts requested treatment on his calf, if you read it carefully.

Again, some medical professionals will say the the probability of the clot traveling to the deep venous system increases more if it occurs or is located above the knee, even if it's uncommon starting out as a superficial blood clot.

With all this said and taken into consideration, Robinson owes Hurts an apology. Robinson has a every right to have an opinion and is also paid to analyze the NFL on television, however, making inferences about how a fellow player is representing their health or injury is a very slippery slope without direct knowledge of their medical status, pain level, or pain tolerance—particularly when an injury can progress. Hurts did nothing, or has said nothing to deserve all of what Robinson’s statements are implying, as none of them nor the repercussions they could engender, felt worth it for his hot TV take—especially since it appears Robinson himself did not spend enough time googling or sourcing his comments to frame them more carefully himself.