When Kansas City Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III was in high school, pulmonary emboli almost ended his football career before it even began. It was only after extensive treatment for over a year that he was cleared to return to the field. Keeping his own experience in mind, Walker shared his opinions on the controversy surrounding Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts’ diagnosis.

According to an interview clip posted by NFL insider Ari Meirov on X, Walker shared words of encouragement for Hurts while speaking to the media on Friday. He also emphasized that blood clots, which could quickly develop into a life-threatening condition, should never be taken lightly.

“Yeah, honestly, just stay positive, obviously, I guess you know about what happened in high school,like with the blood clots and everything, but, and he went on the flight, and everything, that’s crazy,” Walker said about Hurts. “Yeah, honestly, just stay positive and do all the things necessary that he needs to do to get his body back right. But yeah, I’ll be praying for him because that’s not something we should take lightly.”

Hurts’ diagnosis caused a lot of controversy due to the nature of the injury that caused it. The Eagles QB initially sustained a calf injury on October 4 against the Los Angeles Rams when another player accidentally stepped on him with their cleat. It resulted in a superficial clot. By October 14, a follow-up ultrasound imaging revealed movement in the small blood clot. A few days later, it was revealed that parts of the clot broke off and traveled through the bloodstream into Hurts’ lungs, causing bilateral pulmonary emboli.

The condition has effectively sidelined Hurts for the remainder of the 2026 season. Just like Walker, the Eagles quarterback is now being treated with medication like blood thinners that prevent blood from coagulating and is prohibited from participating in any kind of contact sports that could cause bleeding, including attending team practices.

Walker, who is associated with a campaign raising awareness about the risks related to developing blood clots, was especially surprised to hear that the Eagles cleared Hurts to fly to London and play despite discovering the superficial blood clot and knowing the associated risks, calling it “crazy.”

Although the franchise insisted that proper precautions had been taken during the journey and the league’s medical professionals had advised Hurts to remain active and mobile, critics and the NFLPA are considering it an instance of player health negligence.

The Chiefs RB isn’t the only one to speak on the matter. Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers also commented on the controversy.

Steelers QB Holds the NFL’s Medical Staff Responsible for Jalen Hurts’ Condition

As Pittsburgh is gearing up for its Week 7 international clash against the New Orleans Saints, the veteran quarterback expressed his concern for Hurts’ situation, while also making a snide remark about the reliability of the league’s medical staff.

“I don’t have a close relationship with Jalen. Obviously, we’re in the quarterback fraternity, so you don’t want to see anything like that happen to anybody,” Rodgers said. “Obviously, I don’t know the whole details about what’s going on; I’ve seen what’s been printed, and the guy in charge of all things medical at the NFL office, and I haven’t always seen eye-to-eye about things. So, I can’t say I’m really surprised.”

Rodgers’ admission about not agreeing with the NFL’s medical officer has further fanned the flames, raising questions about the league’s priorities, especially where player health and safety are concerned.

The NFLPA issued a statement on October 20 calling for a full investigation after the league seemed to be trying to wash its hands of the accusations.

“Before conclusions are drawn about how this situation was handled, there must be a full investigation into what occurred,” the NFLPA said. “Determining the facts is essential to ensuring players receive the highest level of care and protection going forward.”

The NFL informed the union that it had no plans to review the care that Hurts received while recovering from a pulmonary embolism. However, the following day, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell responded to the call for an investigation at a presser:

“We welcome that (investigation). That’s part of our processes. That’s fine. Obviously there was a medical evaluation, and I think our protocols were incredibly good there. The most important thing here is Jalen’s health.”

Eagles head coach Nick Sirriani also came under scrutiny for allowing Hurts to fly home despite knowing he had a blood clot.