The NFL Players Association has agreed to changes in the league’s concussion protocols, and they want the league to follow suit and implement them by this weekend’s games.
The announcement comes amid the controversy surrounding the handling of how Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion evaluation was handled in a game against the Bills two weeks ago.
“Our union has agreed to change the concussion protocols to protect players from returning to play in the case of any similar incident to what we saw on September 25,” the NFLPA Board and Executive Committee said in a statement Friday. “We would like these changes to go into effect before this weekend’s games to immediately protect the players and hope the NFL accepts the change before then as well.”
Tua Tagovailoa is examined after suffering a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals. AP
In that Sept. 25 game against the Bills, Tagovailoa hit the back of his head on the ground and struggled to stay on his feet afterward. He was taken to the locker room for what was initially announced by Miami as a head injury but allowed to return to the game after passing an evaluation, with the Dolphins and Tagovailoa saying the stumble had been caused by a back injury.
Four days later, Tagovailoa suffered another scary blow to the head in a game against the Bengals and was stretchered off the field. He has remained out since and did not travel with the team for Miami’s game against the Jets this weekend.
The NFL responded to the Players Association with its own statement on Friday.
Tua Tagovailoa struggled to get up after being hit in a game against the Bills on Sept. 25. Getty Images
“As we have discussed with the NFLPA, we agree that changes to the joint NFL-NFLPA protocols are necessary to further enhance safety,” the NFL said in a statement. “We have already spoken to members of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee and the leadership of the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants and independent certified athletic trainers who serve as spotters to discuss these likely changes.”
According to multiple reports, it is expected that the new protocol, whenever it is implemented, would eliminate any exceptions when it comes to a player exhibiting “gross motor stability.” Such impairment would mean a player would not be allowed to continue in the game, no matter the reason.