Banging Heads

Fans saw the NFL concussion protocol in action the other day when the Pats played the Browns. Late in the game, WR Chris Hogan banged his head on the ground while making a reception.

The referee ordered him to the sidelines. He went to the locker room for examination by a third party doctor who cleared him to return. The system seem to work as intended.

What would happen if a player like Tom Brady sustained a concussion late in a crucial game and the referee ordered him off the field? It could decide the outcome of a game. We saw that with Julian Edelman in the waning moments of the Super Bowl.

Nobody wants to leave the game. It would be a tough decision to make, especially if the player was ok in the end.

It's only a matter of time before we see this happen.