Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s recent injury on field against the Cincinnati Bengals has raised concerns regarding the NFL’s concussion protocols.
In an interview with CNN, NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills addressed the incident. “I think it’s important to recognize though, it is not a one-person effort. We have a group of experts called our head, neck and spine committee,” he said. “They come together every year, they review our protocols, they review our data, they review our outcomes and they help us look for ways that we can improve and get better on these evaluations and do a better job with diagnosis and management.”
The American College of Physicians says that concussions have historically not been given enough attention. This can pose serious risks, particularly for athletes in contact sports such as football. Most patients who have mild concussions recover in seven to 10 days. However, patients trying to recover from a second or third concussion often find recovery takes longer as the brain recovers more slowly and less thoroughly after each subsequent brain injury.
