While blood clots are often linked with pregnancy, cancer treatments, and advanced age, some sports injuries can also elevate the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) among younger adults.
In February 2025, Jalen Hurts was named MVP of Super Bowl LIX after leading the Philadelphia Eagles to victory against the Kansas City Chiefs. Now, the quarterback’s 2026 season is over as he recovers from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and blood clots in his lungs.
DVT is a blood clot that forms in one of the deep veins that run between the muscles, often in the legs. While clotting is crucial for healing, large or obstructive clots can be a health emergency. Left untreated, a blood clot can disrupt blood flow and lead to long-term complications, pain, chronic swelling, and pulmonary embolism, in which a clot travels to the lung.
Hurts was originally diagnosed in mid-October with a superficial vein thrombosis (SVT), a clot in a vein just beneath the skin, possibly caused after another player’s cleat struck his left calf. Follow-up testing identified a DVT and bilateral pulmonary emboli – blood clots blocking arteries in both lungs, which can be life-threatening.
NBA Hall of Famer Chris Bosh, who led his Lincoln High School team in Dallas to a state title in 2002, cut his professional career short after 13 seasons due to blood clot issues. Tennis superstar Serena Williams, who had a history of pulmonary embolism, developed blood clots in her legs after giving birth in 2018. And San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama ended up sitting out for months after being diagnosed in February 2025 with a DVT in his right shoulder.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that about 900,000 people in the U.S. each year develop a blood clot – a mass of blood, cells, and gel-like clotting factors. Even athletes at the pinnacle of health can be at risk. But with timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment, many people recover fully and can return to competition.
Why do healthy athletes develop DVT?
Regular exercise generally helps lower the risk of venous blood clots. Athletes are not necessarily at greater risk than the general population, but the demands of training and competition can expose them to particular triggers, such as:
- Physical trauma, such as a collision or blow to the leg, can damage a vein and contribute to clot formation.
- Long periods of sitting during travel can slow blood flow through the legs, particularly when other risk factors are present.
- Injury-related immobility such as time in a cast, boot, or bed may increase risk during recovery.
- Repetitive overhead arm movements such as shooting a basketball, pitching a baseball, swimming, rowing, or weightlifting may compress a vein near the collarbone. This can cause a form of upper-extremity DVT called effort thrombosis.
- Dehydration may be a possible contributor to DVT risk.
Other risk factors unrelated to sports include:
- Aging, as DVTs are more common in older adults
- Taller-than-average height
- Injury to a vein, most often caused by a broken bone, muscle injury, or surgery
- Increased estrogen from certain contraceptives, hormone replacement therapy after menopause, or pregnancy
- Other medical conditions, such as cancer, heart disease, inflammatory bowel disease, lung disease, obesity, or a catheter in a central vein
- Smoking
- Slow blood flow due to prolonged inactivity
- Personal or family history of DVT
- A genetic clotting disorder, such as factor V Leiden and prothrombin gene mutations
Related: Read "Pulmonary embolism in pregnancy: Know the symptoms, risks of blood clots"
Can athletes reduce their risk of blood clots?
There is no single prevention strategy that eliminates the risk, but several habits can help, particularly around travel and recovery from an injury:
- On long trips, get up and walk regularly when it is safe to do so. During flights, long car rides, or extended sitting, flex your ankles and move your calf muscles. Stay well-hydrated.
- Follow your doctor’s instructions after surgery or an injury. If movement is restricted, ask about other clot-prevention measures.
- Tell your doctor if you have a personal or family history of blood clots. You may be at risk of recurrence.
What are the signs of a blood clot?
About half of those with a DVT don’t experience any symptoms. In some cases, the first sign may be a medical emergency such as breathing complications or heart failure from pulmonary embolism.
Early symptoms of a blood clot can include:
- Cordlike formation in the leg or arm
- Red, blue, or pale discoloration of the skin on the limb
- Dull ache, tightness, tenderness, or pain in the limb
- Fast heartbeat
- Heaviness, numbness, or discomfort in the limb
- Mild fever
- Skin that is warm to the touch
- Swelling of the arm or leg
If you notice these symptoms, don’t try to wait it out. See a doctor right away, especially if you have chest pain or shortness of breath. These are signs that the clot may have moved to the lungs. Delaying care can result in serious complications, including limb amputation or death. About 60,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S. die from DVT each year.
Researching treatments
UT Southwestern specialists are leaders in research for developing innovative treatments for blood clots and vascular conditions. Michael Siah, M.D., and colleagues studied the RevCore device, which can help to successfully remove blockages that can form around stents in the blood vessels. Their work suggests RevCore could be an effective new way to treat chronic venous stent occlusion.
How are blood clots diagnosed?
In a person with superficial vein thrombosis, we use ultrasound to see how long the clot is and how close it lies to a connection with the deep veins. Most superficial clots do not progress to DVT, but one that extends into the deep system can create a more serious risk.
DVT-related blood clots are also diagnosed with an ultrasound. If there is concern that the clot is complicated or nearing the heart, an MRI or CT scan can provide more detailed imaging of the clot and the blood vessels.
In any patient, especially a young adult, we review their symptoms, personal and family history, recent injuries, surgeries, travel, and medications. In some cases, we may recommend blood testing for disorders that make clotting more likely.
Treatment for deep vein thrombosis
Most people do not need surgery for DVT, and effective treatments are available that, in some cases, can help athletes safely return to their sport.
Treatment usually includes anti-coagulant medication (blood thinners) to help prevent new clots, stop existing clots from growing, and keep them from breaking free and traveling to the lungs. The initial course of anticoagulation lasts about three to six months. Someone whose clot was caused by a temporary trigger, such as surgery or an injury, may be able to stop blood thinners after that period. People with certain risk factors or recurring or unexplained clots may need to stay on blood thinners for life.
In rare cases when a large blood clot blocks a central vein, a patient may need surgery to remove or dissolve the clot and restore blood flow:
- Thrombectomy: A specialist guides a thin tube called a catheter into a blood vessel to decompress it and remove the clot for better blood flow.
- Thrombolysis: Medication is used to dissolve the clot.
- Stenting: Placement of a flexible mesh tube in the blood vessel to contain clots and prevent further blockages.
Deep venous arterialization kept Irma dancing
For a long and painful year, Irma Villarreal hobbled around on the heel of her foot. It was the only way she could get around. Poor circulation and peripheral artery disease (PAD) had created a condition referred to as “desert foot,” which can occur when cholesterol buildup blocks arteries in the lower extremities and dries up blood flow. The result is intense pain, chronic wounds, and tissue death. Then she learned about a new and little-known procedure called deep venous arterialization (DVA).
Returning to sports after DVT
While on blood thinners, patients are at an increased risk of bleeding. It is not safe for an athlete who is taking blood thinners to participate in contact sports such as basketball, football, hockey, or gymnastics. If they were to fall or take a hit, the result could be bleeding in the brain that can lead to life-threatening stroke, seizures, or a coma.
After a blood clot, young athletes, weekend warriors, and pros alike should discuss activity limitations with their doctor. Resuming sports is possible for some athletes. Williams won multiple grand slams after recovering from her first bout of blood clots in 2011. And Wembanyama was instrumental in powering his team’s run last season to the NBA finals, though San Antonio eventually lost to the New York Knicks.
An athlete’s return-to-play timeline depends on the severity of the clot, whether it affects heart or lung function, how long they’ve been on medication, and the risks involved in their chosen sport. In Hurts’ case, the Eagles and his agent reported that he is clinically stable and is expected to make a full recovery, though he cannot participate in contact football while taking blood thinners.
Don’t delay care if you notice signs of a blood clot. Getting treatment right away can help you get back to your sport. More importantly, it might save your life.
To talk with an expert about treatment for blood clots, make an appointment by calling 214-645-8000 or request an appointment online.
