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Why the NFL’s in-game concussion evaluation process is still not a perfect science

Over the years, more has been learned about what causes concussions. That knowledge has helped the NFL adapt the protocol, treatment, the designs of equipment and the rules of the game. But the identification of concussions on the fly remains difficult...

There’s no definitive way to determine whether a player has a concussion. That may not be as much of a factor when the symptoms are overt, but it’s not always so obvious.

“And because it’s so difficult to identify in black and white terms — ‘What is a concussion?’ — it leaves opportunity for things to potentially be missed,” former Los Angeles Chargers team physician Dr. Tal David said. “I would say 75 percent of the concussions…

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Featured

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Articles of Interest

A Brutal Short Film Captures Every N.F.L. Concussion of the Season

In Concussion Protocol, a short that clocks in at around five minutes and was published on the Intercept Thursday, Begley documents every single concussion that happened in the N.F.L. this season. The film is grim but hypnotic, showcasing the aggressive hits that football players take on the field.

A Stunning Hit

Josh Begley’s short film “Concussion Protocol” will change the way you watch football forever.

Concussion: doctor who fought NFL says 'no equipment can prevent' such injuries

With the release of a film telling his story, Bennet Omalu describes the process of discovery that led to clashes with the league – and how his own encounters with depression helped enhance his understanding.

Concussions in Football

Participation in any sport carries injury risk, and concussion will always be part of that calculus. This was never more evident than early in the 2022 season, when Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was concussed while playing against the Cincinnati Bengals, his contorted hands on full display in front of a national audience. Concussion prevention and care is better now than it has ever been, but short of ending all sports, we need to do more to prevent them.

Football Concussions—The NFL’s Worst Fear—May Be More Likely On Fake Grass Fields, Study Suggests

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Head to Head: The National Football League & Brain Injury

NYU Langone’s High School Bioethics Project developed this primer so students may understand the basics of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and tau protein, as well as trends in biomedical research involving CTE and the National Football League (NFL). It also allows students to explore ethical questions related to safety, risk, and health policy.

How Football Tech May Change the Game for Head Injuries

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How the NFL’s Concussion Settlement Changed the Debate About ‘Race Norming’ in Medicine

After settling an explosive lawsuit, the league is taking on a bigger challenge: overhauling cognitive testing in a field that has long adjusted results based on race.

How to Fix Sports' Concussion Crisis

Once considered nothing more than boo-boos to spittle-spewing coaches everywhere, concussions are finally being acknowledged for what they are: contact sports' nastiest byproducts. The long-term effects of head injuries, particularly in retired football players, are proving to be absolutely terrifying.

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The revised testing plan follows public outrage over the use of "race-norming," a practice that came to light only after two former NFL players filed a civil rights lawsuit over it in 2019. The adjustments, critics say, may have prevented hundreds of Black players suffering from dementia to win awards that average $500,000 or more.

NFL Concussion Diagnosis and Management Protocol

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NFL Concussion Expert Rich Ellenbogen: ‘I Really Don’t Care Who’s To Blame. We Just Have To Move The Science Forward’

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NFL Looks to Helmet Technology to Combat Concussions

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Sideline doctors: How the NFL’s concussion-spotting system is — and isn’t — working

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The Brain That Sparked the NFL's Concussion Crisis

How a puzzling autopsy report opened a new chapter in football history.

The NFL Concussion Settlement Is Pure Evil

The story goes that the NFL concussion settlement is a historic victory for the players, but the facts show that the NFL is pulling off a historic con.

The NFL Fumbles a Key Concession on Concussions

A top official has acknowledged a link between football and CTE, the degenerative brain disease.

The NFL Tried to Intimidate Scientists Studying the Link between Pro Football and Traumatic Brain Injury

Rather than honestly deal with its burgeoning concussion problem, the National Football League went after the reputation of the first doctor to link the sport to the degenerative brain disease he named Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

The NFL's billion-dollar concussion settlement with players was officially approved

After the two sides reached a $765 million settlement in September 2013, critics questioned whether the sum could cover all the players who might suffer from neurodegenerative diseases in future years.

The NFL's Helmet Tests Are Brainless

Opinion: Current testing on helmets ignores the kinds of impacts that cause most of the concussions. It’s time for football to wise up.

Three's A Charm - Aaron Rodgers

The National Institutes of Health has declared that we are in the midst of a "national epidemic" of concussions and head injuries involving both professional and amateur contact sports.

Timeline: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis

What did the NFL know and when did it know it? To help answer that question we’ve created a dual chronology, with growing scientific concern about the link between football and brain disease on the left-hand column, and the NFL’s public statements on the right. Click on a year to learn more.

We have no idea how dangerous football really is

Is there a scientific case for banning the sport?

Why we can’t turn off the NFL

America’s unbreakable fixation with football will only lead to more injuries like Damar Hamlin’s.

Will Smith's new movie "Concussion" terrifies the NFL. Here's the trailer.

Omalu's 2002 finding — and the subsequent discovery of CTE in dozens of deceased football players — has transformed the football world, leading many to question whether football can ever be a truly safe sport. That means the NFL is not happy about Concussion — so much so that Sony actually edited the script to make it less antagonistic towards the league, though it seems to still portray the events accurately.

Without Updated Tools, N.F.L. Is Still Finding Concussions Too Late

Despite nearly 30 medical professionals on hand for every N.F.L. game, more subtle symptoms of concussions can be missed, and the league still relies heavily on players to self-report them.

Resources

Concussion Legacy Foundation

Concussion Legacy Foundation has been holding sports organizations accountable for concussion care, as part of our commitment to protecting athletes’ brain health. For all that we have accomplished to make sports safer, we still have a long way to go. When the Miami Dolphins allowed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to continue playing despite obvious concussion signs, it almost ended his career. CLF founding CEO Dr. Chris Nowinski, whose own career was ended by concussions, became the face of our collective outrage.