The NFL and NFLPA issued a joint statement discussing the Tua Tagovailoa situation, agreeing that “modifications are needed to enhance player safety.”
While there may be nonetheless a lot to be understood and explored in what occurred to Tua Tagovailoa and whether or not or not there have been missteps in his medical care, the NFL and NFLPA have responded swiftly in how they plan to method their Concussion Protocol sooner or later.
ESPN’s Field Yates shared a joint statement launched by the NFL and NFLPA, which reiterates that the investigation into the Tua Tagovailoa situation is “ongoing.”
“Therefore, we have not made any conclusions about medical errors or protocol violations,” the statement reads.
Additionally, the NFL and its participant representatives “agree that modifications to the Concussion Protocol are needed to enhance player safety.” Committees centered on participant well being for each organizations “have already begun conversations round using the time period ‘Gross Motor Instability.’”
“We anticipate changes to the protocol being made in the coming days based on what has been learned thus far in the review process,” the statement reads.
NFL, NFLPA take swift action in addressing Concussion Protocol issues amid Tua Tagovailoa injury situation
Considering the fact that Tagovailoa was cleared to return in the Week 3 game versus the Bills as having a back injury, the language around the “Gross Motor Instability” clause becomes particularly relevant.
Under the “No-Go Signs and Symptoms” section in the “NFL Concussion Diagnosis and Management Protocol“, the NFL states the following:
“If a player exhibits or reports any of the following signs or symptoms of concussion, he must be removed immediately from the field of play and transported to the locker room. If a neutral sideline observer or a member of the player’s Club’s medical group observes a participant exhibitor receives a report {that a} participant has skilled any of the next indicators or signs, the participant shall be thought of to have suffered a concussion and will not return to participation (observe or play) on the identical day underneath any circumstances.
- Loss of Consciousness (together with Impact Seizure and/or “fencing posture”)
- Gross Motor Instability (GMI), recognized within the judgment of the Club medical workers in session with the sideline UNC, who observe the participant’s habits, have entry to the participant’s related historical past and are capable of rule out an orthopedic trigger for any noticed instability
- Confusion
- Amnesia”
While lack of consciousness, confusion and amnesia will be clearly decided, Gross Motor Instability might be reliant on the judgment of the membership medical workers who observe the participant’s habits, survey their historical past and are capable of rule out any orthopedic trigger.
