NFL finds Panthers did not violate the concussion protocol with Cam Newton

The NFL and NFLPA announced they have completed their joint investigation into whether or not the Panthers followed the concussion protocol with Cam Newton. They have cleared the team of any wrongdoing.

“Mr. Newton was properly evaluated for a concussion in the sideline medical tent and did not sustain a concussion,” the NFL said in a statement.

NFL VP Joe Lockhart said of the incident, via Adam Schefter, “This highlights the challenge that reporters and commentators have, needing to immediately draw conclusions without any of the facts. This is a lesson for all: you jump to conclusions at your own peril.”

What happened? Newton evaded a sack from Saints defensive tackle Tyeler Davison. But David Onyemata came in to finish the job and took Newton down with a violent hit to the head that Newton didn’t see coming.

Newton looked obviously dazed after the hit and remained on the ground. He got up, but went to the ground again before being taken to the team’s sideline medical tent for evaluation. Newton was evaluated for a concussion and diagnosed with an eye injury, and he did return to the game.

What does the protocol say? The NFL made changes to the concussion protocol after Tom Savage was checked for a concussion and cleared to return to a Week 14 game against the San Francisco 49ers. The league and NFLPA determined that the Texans did not violate the protocol, but implemented changes right away to avoid situations like Savage’s in the future.

Among those changes was the mandate that any player who exhibited symptoms like Newton’s would have to be taken to the locker room for evaluation. From the amended protocol:

Require a locker room concussion evaluation for all players demonstrating gross or sustained vertical instability (e.g., stumbling or falling to the ground when trying to stand).

But Newton was diagnosed with an eye injury. That must have been sufficient for the NFL and NFLPA to clear the Panthers.

The league has the latitude to apply fines, require additional education for team medical personnel, and even force teams to forfeit draft picks for violations of the concussion protocol. The Seahawks were fined $100,000 for violating the concussion protocol with Russell Wilson in Week 10.

The Panthers have been investigated once before over their handling of the concussion protocol with Newton back in Week 1 of the 2016 season. The league found that the protocol was followed in that situation. The league also implemented changed to the concussion protocol after that investigation.