The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

This week, the NFL instituted a new concussion policy in an attempt to protect the long-term health of players who have suffered these brain injuries. Effective immediately, players will not be allowed to return to play on the same day following a blow to the head if he shows the following symptoms:

• Inability to remember assignments or plays
  
• Gaps in memory
  
• Persistent dizziness
  
• Persistent headaches
  

Furthermore, players will not be cleared to return to action until they have undergone a full neurological evaluation and symptoms have disappeared.

The league is encouraging all players to be honest with coaches and team medical staff regarding any concussion-like symptoms they may be experiencing. The main problem with this new policy is that it is doubtful many NFL players will honestly report their symptoms after a concussion.

The NFL is a league that has traditionally valued toughness above almost every other quality. It has long been the culture for NFL players to play through injuries as long as they were physically able to be on the field.

While playing through a sprained ankle or a separated shoulder may not seriously endanger your long-term health, playing with a concussion most certainly will. There has been a growing body of evidence that many retired NFL players have suffered long-term health issues as a result of playing with concussions and other brain injuries sustained during the game.

In spite of this evidence, today's players still continue to go out and play through these serious injuries, regardless of what the consequences might hold for the rest of their lives. It is estimated that approximately 20% of NFL players have hidden or down-played the effects of a concussion in order to remain in a game. This alarming statistic begs us to ask, why will the new rule changes compel players to all of a sudden be honest about these injuries?

Two premier quarterbacks, Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger and Arizona's Kurt Warner, sat out last Sunday after suffering concussions the previous week. Warner is a two-time MVP, Super Bowl champion, and most likely headed to the Hall of Fame. Roethlisberger has won two Super Bowls. Both quarterbacks have proven their value to their teams, earned the respect of other players, and have played through injuries in the past. They have nothing to prove by risking their long-term health over one football game, and they chose to play it safe. Yet, they have come under fire by players and coaches for their decision.

As Warner said, "There's no question I was self-conscious about it. I can't say definitely that guys were thinking that (I wimped out), but I noticed a few things. Maybe a coach didn't talk to me the same way, or a player walked by without talking to me…So you wonder if they're thinking, 'Yeah, he wimped out on us. Yeah, he wasn't tough enough. Yeah, he wouldn't come to battle with us.'"

This kind of peer pressure may make it very difficult for the NFL to enforce their new concussion policy, particularly when it comes to quarterbacks, a position at high risk of these injuries. If a player, especially the quarterback, loses the respect of his teammates, it will be very difficult to effectively perform on the field when he returns. Only time will tell if players are able to understand that the new NFL concussion policy is intended to protect them from life-altering injuries. After all, for most players, life after football may last 50 years or more.

Please contact the experienced personal injury lawyers at The Cochran Firm if you have suffered a brain injury caused by the negligence of another. We can help you receive the compensation you need to make sure your future medical expenses are covered. We serve clients nationwide.