The National Football League and the NFL Players Association on Saturday agreed to update the league’s concussion protocol.
The agreement will go into effect in time for Sunday’s games, CNBC reported.
In a joint statement, the NFL and the NFLPA said that the decision comes after a review to the response after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s injury on Sept. 25.
Under the new protocols, players will be unable to compete if they are experiencing ataxia, a condition in which a lack of coordination is caused by poor muscle control.
The NFL and NFLPA announce they agree concussion protocols were properly applied with Tua Tagovailoa on Sept. 25, but that those protocols — now modified — were insufficient. Joint statement: pic.twitter.com/Eo2OkaAvGj
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 8, 2022
Tagovailoa, 24, a third-year player with the Dolphins, was originally injured during Miami’s 21-19 victory against the Buffalo Bills. The quarterback hit his head on the ground after taking a hit in the second quarter and stumbled when he returned to his feet, according to the Miami Herald.
Tagovailoa returned to the game and also started on Sept. 29 at Cincinnati.
During the Dolphins’ 27-15 loss to the Bengals, Tagovailoa sustained a concussion during the second quarter. The quarterback hit his head violently on the turf after he was hit by Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou, the Herald reported.
The consultant involved in evaluating Tagovailoa during the Buffalo game was later fired by the NFLPA after the union found “multiple mistakes” in the process, the Herald reported.
“While the investigation determined that the team medical staff and unaffiliated medical professionals followed the steps of the protocol as written, the NFL and NFLPA agree that the outcome in this case is not what was intended when the protocols were drafted,” Saturday’s joint statement read. “As such, as has been done in previous cases, based on the advice of the parties’ respective medical experts, the protocol will be modified to enhance the safety of the players. Specifically, the term ‘ataxia’ has been added to the mandatory ‘no-go’ symptoms. ‘Ataxia’ is defined as abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue.”
The statement added that if a player was diagnosed with ataxia by any team or neutral physician involved in application of the concussion protocol, he will be prevented from returning to action and will receive follow-up care.
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