Colts running back Nyheim Hines will not return to Thursday Night Football after sustaining a concussion in the first quarter against the Broncos, according to multiple reports.
Hines sustained the frightening injury after getting hit in the back of the head on the opening drive of the game while looking to gain extra yards on a short pass from Matt Ryan. The veteran RB went down at the 14:07 mark of the quarter, and appeared wobbly after trying to stand to his feet.
Several of Hines’ teammates and members of both training staffs came to his aid on the field before he was helped to the Indianapolis sidelines. He eventually managed to walk to the locker room under his own power.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported shortly thereafter that Hines would be evaluated for a concussion after exhibiting “gross motor instability on the field.”
Hines’s injury comes at a time where the focus on head injuries has seen a noticeable boost in attention over the past couple weeks in the wake of Tua Tagovailoa’s scary head injury in Week 4.
The NFL Players Association recently launched an investigation to see if there was any “potential protocol violation” involved in the handling of Tagovailoa’s health dating back to his exit due to injury against the Bills in Week 3.
Tagovailoa’s situation has also led the NFL and NFLPA to release a joint statement last weekend announcing upcoming rule changes to the NFL’s concussion protocol. Both parties emphasized the focus on evaluating “gross motor instability” as part of the revisions.
“The NFL and NFLPA agree that modifications to the Concussion Protocol are needed to enhance player safety,” the statement read. “The NFLPA’s Mackey-White Health & Safety Committee and the NFL’s Head Neck and Spine Committee have already begun conversations around the use of the term ‘Gross Motor Instability’ and we anticipate changes to protocol being made in the coming days based on what has been learned thus far in the review process.”
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