The NFL and NFL Players Association released a joint statement on Saturday regarding the investigation into the Miami Dolphins’ concussion protocol compliance following a Week 3 hit on quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, according to Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network.
The statement said the two parties concluded that the “step-by-step process outlined in the Concussion Protocol was followed” by the team’s medical staff. However, they agreed that the “outcome in this case” was not the intention of the protocol and announced a new addition to the protocol going forward – ataxia.
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This change is expected to go in place Sunday ahead of a slate of Week 5 games.
Ataxia, defined as the “abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue,” is now considered a no-go symptom, joining a list that includes: loss of consciousness, gross motor instability, confusion, amnesia, fencing response and impact seizure.
Scrutiny regarding concussion protocol is nothing new for the NFL. As research continues to yield more information regarding CTE and the impact of sustained brain injuries, the NFL finds itself at the center of controversy.
Part of what made Tagovailoa’s injury such a hot-button issue is the visible signs he displayed on the field.
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In the initial hit against the Buffalo Bills, Tagovailoa stumbled and seemed to struggle to maintain his balance, which the team attributed to a back injury suffered earlier in the game. The investigation confirmed this report. Tagovailoa controversially returned to the game and then played against the Cincinnati Bengals four days later.
In the second quarter of the Thursday night matchup, he absorbed a heavy blow and immediately reacted with his hands in a flexed position, known as the fencing response.
In the weeks since his back-to-back hits, multiple players have left games with head injuries to undergo evaluation, including New York Giants quarterback Tyrod Taylor and Tennessee Titans running back Nyheim Hines, two key backups.
This is the first of what could be many more changes in the league’s concussion policy throughout the 2022 regular season and into the offseason.