Jacoby Brissett enters concussion protocol after suffering big hit against the Steelers

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett briefly left Sunday’s game against the Steelers with a potential head injury, but was able to return to the field after being cleared by team and independent doctors. However, the onset of postgame symptoms has landed the second-year passer in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

After the game, Indianapolis head coach Chuck Pagano confirmed the news. It’s not yet known whether Brissett will miss time due to the injury. The team later clarified Brissett had passed two different diagnostic tests, which allowed him to return to the game.

Backup Scott Tolzien, who started the team’s season opener and threw a pair of pick-sixes in a losing effort, would be the team’s next man up if Brissett can’t play. It’s also likely the club will sign rookie Phillip Walker from the practice squad to the active roster in order to serve as the team’s backup in that situation.

Brissett wasn’t a perfect passer, but he was a capable starter for a lost season. His penchant for big plays made the Colts watchable, an especially impressive feat given how poorly Tolzien played in a 46-9 loss to the Rams. His Grossman-esque love for the deep ball even helped separate him from some of the Colts’ most prolific passers.

What this means for the Colts: Indianapolis’s playoff hopes are hanging by a thread after a 3-7 start, and there’s not much left to do in 2017 but build for the future. Brissett has proven himself to be a valuable asset who can handle starting duties while giving an injury-prone Andrew Luck one of the best backups in the league. The Colts need him healthy — it’s tough to predict any kind of improvement with Tolzien behind center — but there’s no real impetus to win now as a forgettable season grinds toward its finish.