Cam Newton left the Panthers’ game against the Saints after taking a hit in the fourth quarter. He was taken to the medical tent as Derek Anderson entered the game.
Did the Panthers follow concussion protocol on Cam Newton’s injury?
Newton was taken to the medical tent, evaluated for a concussion, and went back into the game.
Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Newton appeared to escape the grasp of Tyeler Davison, but wasn’t able to get away when David Onyemata came running in to finish the play. Newton never saw him coming, took a vicious hit to the head, and remained on the ground.
Newton said after the game that it wasn’t a head injury.
By rule, Newton might have needed to go to the locker room.
In the NFL’s revised concussion protocol, the Panthers might not have complied with one of the new rules. The one they possibly broke involves what happened to Newton as he was leaving the field:
Players who stumble or fall when trying to stand will require a concussion evaluation in the locker room.
Newton stopped on his way to the sideline, and took a seat while it appeared that trainers were looking at his eye.
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert points out that might be problematic:
Newton was taken to the medical tent instead.
While there, he apparently received a concussion evaluation, and passed:
Newton re-entered the football game after the Saints’ ensuing possession.
The NFL’s changes came after Tom Savage had a concussion handled poorly.
The NFL implemented the following changes to the protocol immediately in December after investigating how the Texans handled a Tom Savage concussion against the 49ers:
Implemented a pilot program utilizing a centralized UNC based at the league office to monitor the broadcast feeds of all games. The UNC will contact the team medical staff on the sideline should they observe any signs or symptoms warranting further evaluation.
Defined impact seizure and fencing responses as independent signs of potential loss of consciousness, representing “No-Go” criteria under the current Protocol. Players who display either of these signs at any time shall be removed from play and may not return to the game.
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).
Officials, teammates, and coaching staffs have been instructed to take an injured player directly to a member of the medical team for appropriate evaluation, including a concussion assessment, if warranted.
Require all players who undergo any concussion evaluation on game day to have a follow-up evaluation conducted the following day by a member of the medical staff.
Added a third UNC to all playoff games and the Super Bowl to serve as a backup who can step in immediately should one of the original two UNCs be absent from the sideline for a time to attend to a more severely injured player.
The NFL is investigating the incident
The NFL and NFLPA will now be investigate whether the Panthers violated concussion protocol:
This is the second time that the Panthers will be under review for concussion protocol involving Newton. Newton took a helmet-to-helmet hit in the season opener against Denver last season, but the Panthers were cleared. It did however, bring changes to concussion protocol.
The Panthers could face punishment, including fines, if the league decides they violated concussion protocol.
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