Concussions are a hot-button topic in the NFL again after Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa played against the Bengals on "Thursday Night Football" four days after briefly exiting a contest against the Bills.
Tagovailoa crumpled to the ground after taking a big hit against Buffalo in Week 3 but later returned. The next Thursday, Tagovailoa suffered a scary injury against Cincinnati. He demonstrated a fencing response before being stretchered off the field and taken to a local hospital. It was later announced that he had suffered a concussion.
The moment reopened the discussion around the NFL's handling of concussions. The NFL Players Association investigated why Tagovailoa was allowed to reenter against Buffalo and fired the independent neurologist who examined Tagovailoa.
On Friday, the NFL and NFLPA announced that they had jointly approved new concussion protocols that could go into effect as early as Sunday, although that's unlikely. The new changes will add ataxia to the list of no-go symptoms, meaning if a player displays abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speed caused by a neurological issue, the player will not be allowed to return to the game, according to The MMQB's Albert Breer.
"Our union has agreed to change the concussion protocols to protect players from returning to play in the case of a similar incident to what we saw on September 25," the NFLPA said in a statement, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. Tagovailoa was injured against the Bills on that date. "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."
MORE: Latest on Colts RB Nyheim Hines' injury suffered vs. Broncos
The NFL was less direct in discussing implementation.
"As we have discussed with the NFLPA, we agree that changes to the joint NFL-NFLPA protocols are necessary to further enhance player safety," the league said, per NFL Media's Tom Pelissero. "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."
The NFL experienced another scary moment Thursday when Colts running back Nyheim Hines appeared to lose control of his bodily function after a hard hit. He needed to be helped off the field. That could explain the urgency coming from the NFLPA in contrast to the league's seeming reluctance to implement new protocols immediately.
In a review of Tagovailoa's injury, the NFL and NFLPA concluded concussion protocol was followed, but that the outcome was "not what was intended when the Protocols were drafted."
