This week’s ownership meeting ended with a press conference that included a question for NFL medical director Allen Sills regarding T.J. Watt’s concussion, and the failure to diagnose it on Thursday night — after Watt took a knee to the facemask.
“I think we put a statement out that said we and the union together are looking into that, which we do in every case,” Sills told reporters. “Anytime a player is diagnosed after game day with a concussion we go back and very carefully review all the facts that go into that and make sure the concussion protocol is properly applied and also make sure we understand the medical decision-making. So we’re actively doing that in this case.
“I would also say I maintain an extremely high degree of confidence in the men and women that help us administer our concussion protocol. We’re not perfect, but I think we have set a high bar and standard for ourselves. And I would also just say that all of the medical information about players is not available to everyone on game day. And so, there are factors that go into the medical decision-making that everyone is not aware of. That’s why we go back and review it very carefully. We’re looking into that and as we complete that review we’ll certainly have more to say.”
Sills added it was “hard to say” when a decision will be made. Hopefully, when a decision is made, there will be full transparency.
Hopefully, the decision will better mesh with common sense. Hopefully, the NFL will show that it’s serious about protecting players from themselves in these situations, especially when players clearly want to get back in the game ASAFP.
If you doubt that mindset at all, watch this clip of Watt’s brother, J.J., downplaying the entire situation on Pat McAfee’s show. J.J. was borderline joking about it while also avoiding subjects like the necessity for T.J. to wear a tinted visor during the remainder of the game.
“I don’t think he wanted to get poked in the eye,” J.J. says regarding the use of the dark visor.
Again, players want to play. That’s the challenge the league faces. The doctors need to overcome the natural inclination of football players to play football and to treat players like patients — and not like the checklist used to inspect a car before applying a new sticker inside the windshield.