The Eagles are eagerly awaiting the return of star quarterback Jalen Hurts as the team gets ready to make a run at a Super Bowl 57 title.
Hurts was arguably the NFL MVP frontrunner when he suffered a shoulder injury in Week 15 against the Bears. There wasn't much concern about the 24-year-old quarterback at that time, as he finished the game without missing a snap.
However, it turned out that the injury to his throwing shoulder was enough to sideline him in Week 16 against the Cowboys.
Now, he will miss another week as he tries to overcome that injury.
But how long will Hurts be out? There is some good news about the quarterback's status that Eagles fans will welcome as the playoffs draw ever nearer.
Here's everything to know about Hurts' status in Week 17 and when to expect him on the field again.
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Did Jalen Hurts play in Week 17 vs. Saints?
Hurts did not play for the Eagles in their Week 17 game against the Saints. He is inactive and backup Gardner Minshew will start in his place against New Orleans.
This marks the second consecutive game that Hurts has missed after suffering a shoulder sprain against the Bears in Week 15. The Eagles are 0-1 without Hurts; Minshew operated the offense efficiently against the Cowboys in Week 16 but Philadelphia lost 40-34 thanks, in part, to a season-high four turnovers.
Minshew hoped to bounce back in Week 17 against a less imposing opponent. However, the Eagles lost 20-10 to the Saints, and that denied them a chance to clinch an NFC East title and the No. 1. seed in the conference.
MORE: Projecting the AFC and NFC playoff pictures entering Week 17
How long is Jalen Hurts out?
The good news for Eagles fans is that Hurts is expected to return from injury in Week 18, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Originally, some questioned whether Hurts would actually need to play in Week 18. The Eagles could have clinched the NFC's No. 1 seed, and the NFC East title, with a win over the Saints in Week 17.
However, the Saints beat the Eagles 20-10 despite the fact that Philadelphia was favored in that contest. As such, the Eagles will be playing for something in Week 18, so they do have a reason to play Hurts.
The Eagles may have preferred to rest Hurts in Week 18 were the game meaningless. That would have ensured he is fully healthy for the first playoff game. That would come either Saturday, Jan. 21 or Sunday, Jan. 22 in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs, meaning that a Week 17 win would give Hurts three extra weeks of rest to fully recover from his injury.
Of course, the Eagles were also considering getting Hurts "a brief tune-up" in Week 18 even if the game was meaningless, as Schefter noted.
But with the Eagles losing, Hurts will now certainly return to action against the Giants to try to wrap up the NFC East and No. 1 seed — provided that he doesn't suffer a setback in his recovery.
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Jalen Hurts injury update
Hurts first suffered his injury, a right shoulder sprain, in Week 15 against the Bears. It occurred after he was driven into the ground by Bears defensive lineman Trevis Gipson while being tackled during the contest.
The injury wasn't expected to be a long-term one for Hurts, as X-rays were negative and the MRI revealed a shoulder sprain. The Eagles didn't provide a definitive timetable for him to return, but it was expected that he would be back for the playoffs at a minimum.
Hurts has made progress in his recovery over the last couple of weeks. He didn't practice at all ahead of the Dallas game but logged two limited sessions on Thursday and Friday before Week 17 against the Saints. He was listed as "doubtful" for the game, an upgrade from the "out" designation he had ahead of Week 16.
As such, it seems like Hurts will be available to play if needed in Week 18, barring any setbacks in recovery.
