Los Angeles Rams LT Blood Clots Raise Career-End Questions Amid Recent OL Retirement

The Los Angeles Rams made a significant investment in Alaric Jackson this offseason, rewarding the former undrafted free agent with a three-year, $57.75 million deal to solidify their offensive line. But the promising left tackle’s future is again clouded by a serious and potentially career-threatening health concern: blood clots.

For the second time in his professional career, Jackson is battling blood clot issues. In 2022, they sidelined him for the final nine games of the season. While he rebounded impressively in 2023 — winning the starting left tackle job and earning a top-20 grade from Pro Football Focus — the recurrence of this condition could jeopardize both his availability and his long-term outlook.

Blood clots are not just a minor medical setback. For athletes, particularly NFL linemen who rely on stability, endurance, and impact resistance, the presence of clots poses severe health risks. The danger is amplified by the use of blood thinners, which can make physical contact life-threatening due to the risk of internal bleeding.

Los Angeles Rams: Alaric Jackson’s Blood Clot Battle Raises Career-Altering Concerns

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Jackson’s situation draws uncomfortable parallels to that of former NFL center Billy Price, a first-round pick in 2018 who announced his retirement in June at age 29 after undergoing emergency surgery for a pulmonary embolism. Price described the ordeal as life-altering, noting the terrifying reality of an unprovoked clot nearly costing him his life. He ultimately chose retirement over the daily risk of playing on blood thinners.

“In the blink of an eye, everything can be taken away,” Price wrote on Instagram. “On April 24th (2024), I had emergency pulmonary embolism surgery to remove a saddle clot that was entering both of my lungs. As a healthy 29 year old, an unprovoked pulmonary embolism with no further medical explanation is terrifying. I am truly thankful to be alive today.

“Unfortunately, I will be retiring from the NFL as the risk of an internal bleed while on blood thinners creates tremendous risk.”

While the Rams remain hopeful Jackson will play in 2025, they acted swiftly to secure insurance by signing veteran tackle D.J. Humphries. The team already had concerns about depth, particularly with longtime right tackle Rob Havenstein recovering from double shoulder surgeries.

Jackson has made 35 starts since 2022 and emerged as a foundational piece of the Rams’ offensive rebuild. But with this health issue resurfacing, there’s an uneasy feeling about how many more games he’ll be able to play — and whether, like Price, Jackson may eventually face the impossible decision between continuing his career or safeguarding his future.

In the trenches of the NFL, toughness is a given. But against a silent threat like blood clots, the battle becomes far more personal — and far more dangerous.

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