When Did the NFL Start Concussion Protocol?

The NFL has been under fire for its handling of concussions for years, but when did they first start implementing concussion protocol?

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) concussion protocol is a concussion management program that is designed to protect NFL players from the risks associated with concussions and other head injuries. The protocol was first implemented in the 2011 season, and has been revised several times since then.

The concussion protocol requires that any player who exhibits signs or symptoms of a concussion must be removed from the game or practice and assessed by a team medical staff member. If the player is diagnosed with a concussion, he must be cleared by an independent neurological consultant before he can return to play.

The concussion protocol has come under criticism in recent years, as some believe that it does not do enough to protect players from the long-term effects of concussions. However, the NFL has made several changes to the protocol in recent years in an effort to improve its effectiveness.

The First Concussion Protocol

The first concussion protocol was put in place in the NFL in 2009. This was after many former players had sued the league, claiming that they had suffered from brain injuries as a result of playing football. The protocol is designed to protect players from suffering further damage after a concussion.

Under the protocol, any player who is showing signs of a concussion must be removed from the game and cannot return until he has been cleared by a doctor. If a player is hit hard enough that he loses consciousness, he must be taken to the hospital for further evaluation.

The NFL has come under criticism for how it has handled concussions in recent years. In 2017, a study found that the league had failed to properly diagnose and treat concussions in nearly one-third of all players who had suffered them. The NFL has made some changes to its concussion protocol since then, but critics say that more needs to be done to protect players from brain injuries.

The Current Concussion Protocol

In the NFL, the current concussion protocol was implemented in the 2013 season. This protocol includes a number of steps that must be taken in order for a player to return to the field after a head injury. The first step is for the player to be examined by a team physician or an independent neurological consultant. If the player is diagnosed with a concussion, he must then be cleared by both the team physician and the independent consultant before he can return to practice or play in a game.

Why the NFL Started a Concussion Protocol

The NFL concussion protocol is a set of guidelines that were put in place in order to help protect players from the long-term effects of concussions. The protocol was first implemented in the 2011 season, and it has been updated several times since then.

The protocol requires that any player who shows signs of a concussion be removed from the game and evaluated by a medical professional. If the player is diagnosed with a concussion, they are not allowed to return to the game or practice until they have been cleared by a medical doctor.

The concussion protocol has been criticized by some, who argue that it is not effective in preventing concussions, and that it leads to players being removed from games unnecessarily. However, the protocol is widely seen as a positive step by the NFL, and it has helped to increase awareness of the dangers of concussions among players and fans alike.

How the Concussion Protocol Has Changed the NFL

In 2012, the National Football League (NFL) adopted new rules to try to protect players from concussions. These rules were called the “concussion protocol.” Under the concussion protocol, if a player is suspected of having a concussion, he must be taken out of the game and cannot return until he is cleared by a doctor.

The concussion protocol has changed the way that NFL football is played. In the past, players with concussions often stayed in the game and continued to play. But now, with the concussion protocol in place, players are more likely to be taken out of the game and not allowed to return.

The concussion protocol has been controversial. Some people think that it does not do enough to protect players from concussions. Others think that it goes too far and takes players out of the game when they could still be playing.

But overall, the concussion protocol has made NFL football safer for everyone involved.

Conclusion

The NFL concussion protocol is a set of guidelines that are followed by medical staff in order to help identify and manage concussions. The protocol was first implemented in 2009, but has been updated several times since then.

The concussion protocol is an important part of the NFL’s efforts to improve player safety. Concussions are a serious problem in football, and the NFL has been criticized for its handling of the issue in the past. The concussion protocol is one way that the league is trying to make the game safer for its players.