If the Philadelphia Eagles still had to play the Seattle Seahawks during their originally scheduled time in Week 15, then it’s unlikely that Jalen Hurts would play based on the reports Sunday that his illness “worsened overnight” after not practicing Saturday. This forced the team to downgrade him to questionable vs. the Seahawks.
Instead, the game was flexed out of its Sunday slot and into the Monday night primetime spotlight, which has now allowed Hurts to take a separate flight to Seattle while getting an extra day of rest than he would have originally.
Could this set up a potential Michael Jordan-esque “Flu Game?” While the stakes aren’t as high as the 1997 NBA Finals, the sense is that Hurts, who is fittingly a Jordan Brand athlete, is going to try and give it a go.
“I’m told the feeling among a bunch of Jalen‘s teammates is that he’s going to try to play tonight,” NBC Philly’s John Clark tweeted on Monday.
Clark was just one of many Eagles media members and fans on X (formerly Twitter) that pointed out the “Flu Game” connection.
“It is fitting that Jalen Hurts was wearing his Jordan gear traveling to Seattle on his own,” Clark tweeted. “This could be like the Michael Jordan flu game. I’m told a bunch of Eagles haven’t seen Jalen yet here in Seattle. They are hoping he can play tonight through his bad illness.”
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NFL fans hoping to avoid watching the Patriots face the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, which was the original matchup for Week 15’s MNF, are likely happy with the decision, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone more satisfied with it than the Eagles and Hurts.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Monday that he expects Hurts to play, but the quarterback is still far from 100 percent. Still, the MNF flex decision has become a blessing in disguise for Hurts and the Eagles despite having their game-scheduling plans changed late in the season.
Related: New Details Emerge on Jalen Hurts’ Illness
“Knowing Jalen Hurts and seeing him operate I believe also he is going to play, mainly because he always plays,” Rapoport said. “But this is not a cold, this is not a little thing, it’s not actually the flu either. This is something that left him weak enough to where at some point he was really wondering is he going to be able to travel. … Just dealing with weakness and all sorts of flu-like symptoms, but again not actually the flu.”
The Eagles and Seahawks kickoff from Lumen Field at 8:15 p.m. ET.
With the Philadelphia Eagles having their game against the Seattle Seahawks moved to Monday night in Week 15, Jalen Hurts now has a better chance of playing, even after his illness worsened overnight. Initially downgraded to questionable for the Seahawks game, the schedule change has given Hurts more time to recover. This has led to speculation about the rookie quarterback attempting a “Flu Game” akin to NBA legend Michael Jordan’s iconic performance.
According to reports, Hurts’ illness worsened overnight after missing practice on Saturday. But with the game moved to Monday, Hurts now has more time to rest and recover, giving him a better chance to take the field. This has raised comparisons to Jordan’s famous “Flu Game” in the 1997 NBA Finals, with the idea being that Hurts, a Jordan Brand athlete, may attempt to play through his illness.
NBC Philly’s John Clark tweeted about the potential for Hurts to play, stating that many of his teammates believe he will make the effort. This sentiment was echoed by other Eagles media members and fans on social media, drawing parallels between Hurts’ situation and Jordan’s iconic performance.
The decision to move the game to Monday night also raised some eyebrows among NFL fans and analysts. Originally scheduled to watch the New England Patriots face the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football, many are now intrigued by the Eagles and Seahawks matchup, given the uncertainty around Hurts’ availability.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport also voiced his expectations about Hurts playing, noting that while the quarterback is not at full strength, the extra day of rest has significantly improved his chances. Rapoport stressed that Hurts’ illness is not just a minor cold, but something that left him weak and uncertain about his ability to travel. Despite this, the rescheduled game has turned into a potential blessing in disguise for Hurts and the Eagles.
While the situation could still be subject to change, the new schedule gives Hurts and the Eagles a fighting chance. The quarterback’s determination and the team’s willingness to support him through his illness are portrayed as driving factors behind the potential outcome.
The Eagles-Seahawks game will kick off from Lumen Field at 8:15 p.m. ET, and the football world will be eagerly watching to see if Jalen Hurts will be taking the field for a potentially memorable performance. Overall, the game’s rescheduling has provided a compelling storyline that could provide a silver lining for the Eagles and their young star quarterback.
