"Independent Medical Consultant" game time power scares me.

ChessToCheckers · Nov 17, 2015

Imagine Superbowl 50, Pats down by 2 points at the final two minute warning. We have the ball at our 20 with 2 timeouts. Plenty of time for Tom Brady. Brady hits Edleman (yes, he's back!) for an 11 yarder but gets a little tap as the ball is released. The Independent Medical Consultant pulls Tom from the game, takes him to the locker room (kicking and screaming), and puts him through the Concussion Protocol, never to be seen again ... ARGHH !

I know. The Medical Consultant is independent. The NFL* says so.

It scares me a just a little. Anybody else bothered by this new "Player Safety" system? Is there enough oversight built in to prevent abuse? Your thoughts?

Mark. · Nov 17, 2015

I'm afraid of everything the NFL puts forth as "independent."

dales804 · Nov 17, 2015

ChessToCheckers said:
Imagine Superbowl 50, Pats down by 2 points at the final two minute warning. We have the ball at our 20 with 2 timeouts. Plenty of time for Tom Brady. Brady hits Edleman (yes, he's back!) for an 11 yarder but gets a little tap as the ball is released. The Independent Medical Consultant pulls Tom from the game, takes him to the locker room (kicking and screaming), and puts him through the Concussion Protocol, never to be seen again ... ARGHH !

I know. The Medical Consultant is independent. The NFL* says so.

It scares me a just a little. Anybody else bothered by this new "Player Safety" system? Is there enough oversight built in to prevent abuse? Your thoughts?

I'm waiting for something like you described to happen on a final drive of a game. Don't believe it has yet. I am skeptical of how this will be implemented.

fourhour · Nov 17, 2015

Independent Medical Consultant? Aha, that's why Goodell was there Sunday!

Because he can!

DaBruinz · Nov 17, 2015

ChessToCheckers said:
Imagine Superbowl 50, Pats down by 2 points at the final two minute warning. We have the ball at our 20 with 2 timeouts. Plenty of time for Tom Brady. Brady hits Edleman (yes, he's back!) for an 11 yarder but gets a little tap as the ball is released. The Independent Medical Consultant pulls Tom from the game, takes him to the locker room (kicking and screaming), and puts him through the Concussion Protocol, never to be seen again ... ARGHH !

I know. The Medical Consultant is independent. The NFL* says so.

It scares me a just a little. Anybody else bothered by this new "Player Safety" system? Is there enough oversight built in to prevent abuse? Your thoughts?

Brady would have to take a shot to the head for the IMC to make the call. Furthermore, the testing is performed on the sidelines..

The Gr8est · Nov 17, 2015

I was listening to the Texans-Bengals game last night on the radio, and the local announcers were surprised when TJ Yates entered the game.

They asked around and discovered that Hoyer had gone to the locker room due to the concussion protocol check.

You wouldn't need to be concerned about the hypothetical Superbowl scenario mentioned though, because INTEGRITY.

neuronet · Nov 17, 2015

Yeah that was F'd up. Big Brother is here for your testing bend over.

Tuck · Nov 17, 2015

DaBruinz said:
Brady would have to take a shot to the head for the IMC to make the call. Furthermore, the testing is performed on the sidelines..

True, but the OP's point is that a League employee can take a player out of the game if he thinks the he player may be concussed and there is no way to know if the league official is acting fairly and independently since it is a judgement call made by one individual.

Helmet to helmet hits occur on every play that, in theory could give the IMC reason to pull players from the game for testing and since we all know the leagues use of the word independent is meaningless I tend to agree with The OP's point that there is cause for concern.

VrabelJr · Nov 17, 2015

I think the game should be stopped if a player is explicitly taken out for concussion protocol purposes. Similar to how the game is stopped when a player doesn't get up off the field.

varjao · Nov 17, 2015

It's definitely a concern, I think they would do it on Collins or some other player less visible than Brady but just as important.

Galeb · Nov 17, 2015

I believe that the league could use any grey area of any rule to target the Pats. Replays being reviewed in the league home office is terrifying. The corruption is real and that is why I'm done with the NFL when BB and TB are done.

TeamFirst · Nov 17, 2015

Its a conspiracy the Nfl is going to now take out players and place them in concussion protocol without even getting hit to the head. WOW!!!

As for helmet to helmet hits its better to be safe then sorry. I feel bad for those who disagree.

ITS NOT A F*****g CONSPIRACY!!

Paranoia at its best.

dales804 · Nov 17, 2015

Did some research and this is the rule:

The spotter can only stop play with clear visual evidence of two very specific criteria:

A player who displays obvious signs of disorientation or is clearly unstable; and

If it becomes apparent that the player is attempting to remain in the game and not be attended to by the club’s medical or athletic training staff.

If a situation meets these narrowly defined circumstances, the ATC spotter will take the following steps:

If a player does not receive medical attention, the spotter will contact the designated game official and identify the player by his team and jersey number using the official-to-official communication system .

Contact the medical staff for the team of player involved and advise them that the player appears to be in need of medical attention.

There's more, too.

The designated game official will immediately stop the game, go to the player in question and wait for the team’s medical personnel to arrive and ensure that the player is attended to and escorted off the field.

The game and play clock will stop (if running), and remain off until the player is removed from the game. Both clocks will start again unless the play clock was stopped inside 10 seconds, in which case it will be reset to 10 seconds.

The player’s team will have an opportunity to replace him with a substitute, and the opponent will be able to match up as necessary. No member of the team’s coaching staff may go on to the playing field, and no other players may go to the sideline unless he will be replaced by a substitute.

Once the player is removed from the field, the team medical staff will conduct an evaluation of him as required by the governing protocols before making any decision regarding the player’s eligibility to return to play. The medical staff will make the return-to-play decision consistent with the leagues protocols.

Player evaluations must last at least one play, unless the team decides to take a timeout, the period ends, the two-minute warning occurs or the injury was due to a foul by an opponent. An injury timeout will not be charged to a team that has a player removed during this process.

And lastly, their criteria for being a "spotter:"

All ATC spotters are retained and assigned by the NFL and must meet the following criteria:

Maintain a current certification by the NATA BOC

Have an undergraduate degree from a four-year program

Have a minimum of 10 years’ experience as an ATC

Have major college and/or professional sports experience

Never have been employed as a Head Athletic Trainer by an NFL team

Have not been employed by an NFL team in the past 20 years

Source

neuronet · Nov 17, 2015

Anyone have link to play where Hoyer was supposed to have gotten hurt? I can't find it. I remember at the time thinking it didn't look very bad, and having the same thought: what kind of power are we giving these people? We need objectively verifiable criteria in place so that this **** is never abused by corrupt bastards.

TeamFirst · Nov 17, 2015

ohh can anyone name a patriot who has been taken out for concussion protocol other than Vollmer and Edelman?

neuronet · Nov 17, 2015

TeamFirst said:
Its a conspiracy the Nfl is going to now take out players and place them in concussion protocol without even getting hit to the head. WOW!!!

As for helmet to helmet hits its better to be safe then sorry. I feel bad for those who disagree.

ITS NOT A F*****g CONSPIRACY!!

Paranoia at its best.

Can you blame us for not trusting the league office and its selection of "independent" auditors of the Patriots?

Mack Herron · Nov 17, 2015

DaBruinz said:
Brady would have to take a shot to the head for the IMC to make the call. Furthermore, the testing is performed on the sidelines..

Did you see Hoyer's "shot to the head" last night? I missed it live and on replays as well.

bobbutts · Nov 17, 2015

If players can sue the league and win I'm surprised it's not an even more aggressive policy. The NFL is dragging it's feet because they realize this affects the quality of the games.

Patsfanin Philly · Nov 17, 2015

TeamFirst said:
Its a conspiracy the Nfl is going to now take out players and place them in concussion protocol without even getting hit to the head. WOW!!!

As for helmet to helmet hits its better to be safe then sorry. I feel bad for those who disagree.

ITS NOT A F*****g CONSPIRACY!!

Paranoia at its best.

Well, the precedent is that the league made up facts, ignored laws of science and physics to try to frame one of its marquee players based on a biased report. They were only stopped by a Federal judge with integrity. Why shouldn't we be cynical and skeptical that the league wouldn't continue doing things to harm the PAtriots..?? It's not like the ownership is standing up for the team.....

Concussion Protocol · Nov 17, 2015

FWIW, Hoyer wasn't pulled out of the game by the "independent" dudes. He left on his own.

Texans QB Brian Hoyer leaves with possible concussion

"Independent Medical Consultant" game time power scares me.

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