It’s standard practice for the league to review injuries and protocols, but there’s nothing standard about a player who suffers an apparent head injury and isn’t immediately removed from play.
On Sunday in Houston, Texans quarterback Tom Savage seemed to be in distress after taking a big hit from 49ers pass rusher Elvis Dumervil. Per a source with knowledge of the situation, Savage was cleared by the unaffiliated neurotrama consultant to return to action. After he did, a Texans trainer noticed that something was amiss with Savage, prompting a trip to the locker room for a full evaluation. At that point, Savage was diagnosed with a concussion and shut down for the day.
The video shows Savage’s hands shaking after the hit. Per the source, however, that video was not available to sideline personnel. And that likely will be one of the key questions that the league explores, given that video routinely is reviewed by the professionals on the sideline who are responsible for deciding whether a player should or shouldn’t return to the game.
The best news for now is that, per multiple sources, Savage is feeling fine. He’ll have to be cleared by team doctors and the independent neurologist before he can play again.
