The NFL’s history regarding head trauma has been fairly abysmal throughout the league’s history, and that hasn’t changed in recent years. You only need to ask Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa about that. Tagovailoa suffered multiple concussions in the 2022 season that neither the Dolphins’ medical staff, nor the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants employed by the NFL seemed able to diagnose and deal with on the spot.
The last thing the NFL wants is such a controversy in Super Bowl LVII, but the league might have one on its hands. With 5:28 left in the second quarter of the game, the Eagles had fourth-and-5 from the Kansas City 44-yard line, and quarterback Jalen Hurts trucked Kansas City’s defense for 28 yards.
An impressive play, and one that led to a four-yard touchdown run five plays later. But if you watch the end of the play, Hurts was slammed to the turf, and the back of his head clearly hit the ground hard. Hurts asked for assistance getting up, and the game simply continued.
Jalen Hurts held onto this one for a big run on 4th-and-5! #SuperBowl pic.twitter.com/dA9wR7EIFm
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) February 13, 2023
The proper move would have been to take Hurts off the field and put him through the league’s concussion protocol, but nobody thought to do that.
Hopefully, Hurts didn’t suffer any kind of head trauma on that play. Because if he did, like most NFL players, he’ll be on his own.
