The new part of the league’s concussion protocol, effective immediately for Sunday’s Week 5 games, is the addition of the term “ataxia” as a no-go symptom for returning to play.
“The Protocol exists to establish a high standard of concussion care for each player whereby every medical professional engages in a meaningful and rigorous examination of the player-patent,” the NFL and NFLPA said in the statement.
Specifically, to the investigation doctors followed the protocols when evaluating Tagovailoa during the Dolphins’ win over the Bills on Sept. 25, the NFL and NFLPA said: •Doctors also determined the gross motor instability Tagovailoa showed by stumbling after trying to take several steps following his head hitting the ground was due to a back injury he sustained earlier in the game. Doctors did not examine Tagovailoa’s back after the fall, and instead conducted the concussion protocol. They relied on an earlier test of his back during the game.
Tagovailoa was treated at a Cincinnati hospital, and flew home with the Dolphins following the game while wearing a neck brace. Tagovailoa’s evaluations for head and neck injuries were clean, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said last week.after he was injured against Buffalo.