The NFLPA says it has agreed to change the NFL's concussion protocols and is calling on the league to adopt the modifications before the weekend's slate of games.
"Our union has agreed to change the concussion protocols to protect players from returning to play in the case of any similar incident to what we saw on September 25," the statement said, referring to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's head injury.
"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."
The NFL released a statement of its own soon after, but did not acknowledge the players' association's request to implement the changes before Sunday.
"As we have discussed with the NFLPA, we agree that changes to the joint NFL-NFLPA protocols are necessary to further enhance player safety," read the statement. "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 and NFLPA announced in a joint statement last week that they were working toward modifying the league’s concussion protocol in light of Tagovailoa's injury, saying they'd "already begun conversations around the use of the term 'Gross Motor Instability.'"
Tagovailoa was stretchered off the field after suffering a concussion during a game in Cincinnati on Sept. 29.
Four days earlier, Tagovailoa's head hit the turf hard in a game against the Buffalo Bills and he was wobbly when he returned to his feet. The quarterback was removed from the game briefly before returning despite displaying “gross motor instability,” with the team saying he suffered a back injury.
By NFL rule, those in-game evaluations when concussions are suspected involve not just team medical personnel but also an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant. The NFLPA has since fired the independent neurological consultant involved in the Tagovailoa incident.
On Friday, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel told reporters Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol and has had appointments with several outside specialists. McDaniel added Tagovailoa will not travel with the team to New York, where the team plays the Jets on Sunday, to help in his recovery.
An investigation into the application of concussion protocols on the Sept. 25 game remains ongoing and no resolution is imminent, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.
With files from The Associated Press
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