Merril Hoge says a doctor's bad call didn't just end his NFL career ... it nearly ended his life ... and he can't help but think about his own NFL health scare when looking at the Jalen Hurts controversy.
The former Steelers running back and ESPN personality joined "TMZ Live" Tuesday to weigh in on the controversy surrounding the Philadelphia Eagles and their star QB, who was ruled out for the season due to blood clots.
Merril, who retired from the NFL in 1994, says he got some terrible medical advice when he was playing ... revealed just how badly things went wrong when he suffered a concussion on Monday Night Football with the Chicago Bears.
He says a team doctor cleared him to play just five days after the injury ... without ever examining him in person. Instead, he claims the doctor asked him one question over the phone: "How do you feel?"
Jalen Hurts' season is over after a frightening blood clot diagnosis ... but should the Philadelphia Eagles have let their star quarterback take the field in London after they found the first clot?
That's the big debate on today's episode of "The Low Down," the new YouTube collab between TMZ and the New York Post, where we give you the inside scoop on the biggest stories that are gripping, outrageous, and scandalous.
The Eagles are facing questions over their handling of Hurts' health after the QB was initially diagnosed with a superficial blood clot, hospitalized, and later cleared to play in London. He flew back with the team to Philly, and then they found more blood clots in his lungs.
Jalen Hurts is getting an apology from a former NFL player who questioned his blood clot diagnosis ... and now the guy admits he was way out of bounds.
Former NFL fullback and current NFL Network analyst Michael Robinson issued a public apology Monday night after catching heat for suggesting the Eagles star quarterback might be using his health issues to escape blame for Philadelphia's disappointing season.
Robinson wrote on social media ... "I want to sincerely apologize to Jalen Hurts, his family, the Philadelphia Eagles organization and fan base for my comments last Thursday."
8:08 AM PT --Jalen Hurts agent released a statement ... "This is extremely serious. A pulmonary embolism is what killed my dad very suddenly and unexpectedly. All beginning with a clot that began in his leg, broke off, and went to his lung. The only warning sign we had in hindsight was his complaint of some mild pain in his leg the night before we lost him."
NFL star Jalen Hurts is out for the season because he has multiple blood clots ... including in his lungs.
ESPN's Adam Schefter announced Monday that doctors found blood clots in the Philadelphia Eagles star's lungs.
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Jalen's rep said he needs to take blood thinners to handle the matter and cannot participate in physical activity.
Over the weekend, Jalen was put on injured reserve after doctors found a superficial blood clot in his calf … and after finding more blood clots in his lungs, Jalen has been ruled out for the season to handle the medical issues.
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will be out for an unspecified amount of time ... because he's dealing with a blood clot.
The team put Hurts on the injured reserve list Saturday ... sources revealed to ESPN and NFL Network.
Philadelphia believes the superficial blood clot is treatable, ESPN reports. People with blood clots are often prescribed blood thinners ... but the outlet states NFL players cannot take the field while on the medication.
