After last week’s mistakes in letting Rams quarterback Case Keenum continue to play after he suffered a concussion, the NFL is trying to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
The league just put out a statement, saying that a mandatory conference call was held last night with the head athletic trainers of all teams. The call also included NFLPA Medical Director Dr. Thom Mayer, and was led by NFL Chief Medical Advisor Dr. Betsy Nabel, Head, Neck & Spine Committee Co-Chairman Dr. Hunt Batjer, NFL Physicians Society President Dr. Robert Heyer of the Carolina Panthers, and PFATS President Rick Burkholder of the Chiefs.
“During the call, the team medical staffs discussed the events that led to the failure to remove St. Louis Rams quarterback Case Keenum from Sunday’s game, and reviewed the proper implementation of the league’s concussion protocols to ensure that players are removed from the field for a medical evaluation as required by the protocols,” the statement read. “Medical experts from the league and the Players Association will continue to review the protocols and make improvements as necessary to protect the health and safety of NFL players, including consideration of discipline for future violations of the protocols.”
The failure to protect Keenum was startling and sad, considering the amount of scrutiny the league has come under regarding concussions, and the steps they had previously taken to prevent such a situation.