Adam Schefter of ESPN.com, citing a source close to the situation, reports that the Seahawks violated the league’s concussion protocol by allowing quarterback Russell Wilson to reenter Thursday night’s game against Arizona without going to the locker room and being cleared by a team doctor and an independent physician. However, a league spokesman told ESPN that the NFL has not conducted any interviews yet, so it has not reached any conclusions. The NFL and NFLPA will jointly review the situation over the coming weeks.
If Seattle is determined to have violated the protocol, it could be fined up to $150K.
Now for more from the NFC:
- Every year, it seems, we hear rumors concerning Jon Gruden‘s potential return to the sidelines as a head coach. With his former team, the Buccaneers, sputtering in 2017, and with Dirk Koetter looking less likely to return in 2018, Gruden-to-Tampa Bay rumors will only continue to pick up steam, as Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports writes. Gruden has mended his relationship with Bucs ownership and still lives about 10 minutes from the team facility, and a source close to him indicated it is possible that Gruden returns to the Bucs.
- The Giants have no plans to bench Eli Manning, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes. Although their long-time signal-caller does not figure to be a part of any long-term rebuild, Rapoport says it would take a catastrophe for Big Blue to sit Manning down this season.
- The Packers released Martellus Bennett with a Failure to Disclose a Physical Condition designation, alleging that Bennett failed to tell the team that he had a torn rotator cuff before he signed with the team this offseason. Bennett, of course, refutes that notion, but Green Bay intends to recoup the signing bonus it paid to Bennett, per Rapoport. Whether the Packers will seek the full $6.3MM bonus or the $4.2MM prorated portion is unclear, but they have over a month in which to file their grievance.
- Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott, whose suspension was reinstated earlier this week, is leaving the country to clear his head and train in an undisclosed location, per Rapoport (via Twitter).
Eli to the Broncos. Elway wants another Manning type QB and what better way to do is get Paytons brother Eli. As for as Zeke yeah he needs to just go away for a long while and get his problems taking care of privately.
Jags is my guess. Reunited with Coughlin
Don’t get any closer to Manning type than that.
Manning type?
Everyone has their own opinion on the concussion protocol. Personally I feel it was the responsibility of the referee to remove the helmet of the player in question and hand it to the head coach or medical professional to make sure the process is carried out properly, followed by an announcement that the player is under the concussion protocol. When Russell Wilson came back out on the field on the next play, the referee should have received confirmation from the medical staff or head coach before allowing Russell Wilson back in the game. This procedure should be part of the process. As for weather Wilson actually had a concussion or not, well it’s doubtful but I see hits much worse than that all throughout games every week that are never given a second thought so it seems to me it’s just another way for refs to control games. The penalties alone in this game were obviously questionable. A lot of people are blaming the coach but he was nowhere near Wilson and was coaching the that had continued, so not sure you can blame him. The medical staff, maybe, if they were even aware that he was under protocol. They should have stopped Wilson from going back on the field or followed him out on the field and insisted the completion of the process.
Referees are not babysitters. They should not have to remove anyone’s helmet or police what happens on a team’s sideline. Their responsibilities are all on the field of play. If a team cannot control its own player’s enough ensure that a potentially injured player goes through the required testing, then that team should absolutely be fined. It’s analogous to any employer creating an unsafe work environment for its employees.
I agree, the referees should not be in charge of sending any player off the field. But since that is their responsibility, sending them off the field, then it is also their responsibility to announce what they are doing and make sure the other team is aware of the decision and the protocol is carried out.