The NFL has taken a lot of heat lately over their handling of player injuries, and it has nothing to do with a foam roller. On Monday night, we got our latest example, when New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker suffered an apparent head injury, yet was not immediately removed from the game for a proper medical evaluation.
It all began in the first half of play during the Patriots’ win over the Cardinals on Monday Night Football, with millions of football fanatics tuning in.
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DeVante Parker responds to NFL’s handling of his head injury
Patriots QB Mac Jones found Parker for a 10-yard reception with four minutes to go in the first quarter. But when Parker was tackled by Cardinals cornerback Antonio Hamilton, the Pats receiver’s head hit the turf in the process, leaving him concussed.
It was obvious too, as Parker got up, appearing a bit wobbly and unstable, both tell-tale signs that something isn’t right. This is an area that their official spotters have been trained in.
In most cases in the modern NFL, when a player takes such a big blow to the head, the game is paused, the athlete receives a quick medical evaluation, and he is either allowed to return to action the next play, or ruled out of the game.
Only in this instance, the Patriots weren’t entirely sure if Parker retained possession as he went to the ground. They in turn did what every other NFL team does, and promptly got into their hurry-up offense.
But it was fellow teammate Nelson Agholor who did his best to ensure play stopped, getting the attention of the referees, essentially demanding that Parker got some medical assistance. Credit to Agholor for realizing his teammate was in danger.
Even then, the only reason the next play didn’t get snapped is because Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury threw his challenge flag, stopping the action.
Parker finally received medical attention, where it was determined he did in fact suffer a concussion and had to leave the field of play for the rest of the day.
On Tuesday, Parker had a simple response to the NFL, and their apparent disregard for player safety.
As much as the league has tried to harp on improving player safety, and they have improved leaps and bounds, it’s just not enough. From still having roughly half of the league playing on the tough, unrelenting turf fields, to a lack of awareness when it comes to what’s happening on the field, there is plenty of room for growth.
The more attention that gets raised, the more likely the NFL is to do something about protecting their players. Here’s to hoping it’s a primary talking point during owner meetings this offseason.
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