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Refs to become concussion police (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter delusional
- Start date
Concussion police? really? Watch the video in the article...tells you everything you need to know. Something was clearly wrong with Dielman and the officials appear to be looking right at him as he stumbles and falls to the ground. Looks terrible for the league to neuter so much of the hitting, throw so many bad flags at the off chance of helmet to helmet contact and allow someone to play in that condition. Of course the league reviewed this as it seems like it may have been a life threatening incident. I'm guessing the officials involved told the league they weren't sure to what extent they should intervene.
Bigboy10182000
Footballguy
With the Deilman thing it had nothing to do with the officials. He was checked on the sidelines by Dr's and must have passed all of their necessary tests before entering the game again. Putting this in the official hands is a nightmare...even for them. They should in no way be made to make a call like that.
GroveDiesel
Footballguy
Since when did refs become doctors? Totally unfair and wrong to put this on them. It's the responsibility of team DOCTORS. In this case, the doctors screwed up. Either on accident, or because they didn't want to take him out of the game. They thought he had a sprained ankle. Or at least that's what they say now.
If the league REALLY wants to make this type of change, have yet another official who is a medical professional sit up in the booth. Their job would be to do nothing more than radio down to the sidelines and force the team to evaluate any player that the medical official thinks may have a concussion.
Even better, the NFL should mandate that all players use the newer style helmets that help prevent concussions. Over 90% of players use the old style that don't even come close to the new helmets when it comes to helping prevent concussions. They could also mandate that players all wear that extra roll of padding like Mark Kelso wore. Yeah, it looks dumb, but it DOES help prevent concussions.
If the NFL really really truly cared about concussions and safety, they'd force the players to use the easily available safer equipment instead of just taking their money.
If the league REALLY wants to make this type of change, have yet another official who is a medical professional sit up in the booth. Their job would be to do nothing more than radio down to the sidelines and force the team to evaluate any player that the medical official thinks may have a concussion.
Even better, the NFL should mandate that all players use the newer style helmets that help prevent concussions. Over 90% of players use the old style that don't even come close to the new helmets when it comes to helping prevent concussions. They could also mandate that players all wear that extra roll of padding like Mark Kelso wore. Yeah, it looks dumb, but it DOES help prevent concussions.
If the NFL really really truly cared about concussions and safety, they'd force the players to use the easily available safer equipment instead of just taking their money.
Hairy Snowman
Footballguy
Just another way for the refs to impact the game. They aren't doctors. This is the job of the Team Doctors, who don't want to pull the trigger because they represent the teams, not the players, and don't want to be the cause of a loss.I'm in favor of this. Two reasons being Kris Dielman and Stewart Bradley (week 1 last year). Obvious concussion, couldn't stand up straight and/or fell flat on their face, but cleared by the doctors. The referee in a boxing match can stop the fight. I see little reason NFL refs shouldn't.
Reepicheep
Footballguy
Of course the refs aren't doctors. But you don't need to be a doctor to know that a guy stumbling around like he just stepped off the merry-go-round shouldn't be playing football.
Agent575
Footballguy
NFL refs have enough other things to be paying attention to without this nightmare. I understand the leagues stance on it and can see how team doctors fail since they are biased. Since the league makes a ridiculous amount of money, why not just have a "league official" at every game that can freely go wherever, both sidelines or locker rooms and be able to handle stuff like this? They could have the power to declare a player OUT of the game if they feel that concussion is the case or whatever.
treat88
Footballguy
That's not the point.It's not their job to be monitoring players health status. Not because they can't, but because they are supposed to be impartial and shouldn't be put in a position to make this determination.It's the team's job to sit a player down if needs be.If the league feels this strongly about it, pay a dedicated, trained individual to have full access to all players at all times and make this type of determination.
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Reepicheep
Footballguy
I agree that the best possible solution is an NFL-employed doctor at each game, with the power to pull players from the game. But I also don't have any problem with "If a player is exhibiting clear signs of a concussion, stop play and call the training staff over," which is what they league is asking refs to do according to the article.The issue here was apparently that the the Charger's training staff didn't have a clear view of what happened, and were occupied by another injured player. The same thing could happen even if the NFL had a full-time concussion specialist at every game - he could be looking at another player, he wouldn't be able to watch every player all the time, etc.
footballnerd
Footballguy
sounds like unnecessary liability on the refs/league. they miss a concussion and let a guy back on the field.....why would they want that? 
keep it in the hands of the team Drs to watch over their guys.
keep it in the hands of the team Drs to watch over their guys.
Mmm... slippery slope here. There are guys in the NFL that walk around every day acting like they've been concussed. Unintended consequences- does the team get charged with a time out for the play stoppage? Is the player required to miss a play? We're going down the road of the hockey rule where guys are gonna get sent to a padded room for a while if they look at the refs funny. These are the same refs that can't seem to understand that if a QB gets hit on his arm sideways and the ball still goes forward 10 yards that his arm must have been moving forward. They are so drilled to robotically carry out the intricacies indicated by the rules commission that they seem to have little ability at independent thinking- these are not the guys I want judging nuance, and concussions are nothing if not nuance.'Reepicheep said:
treat88
Footballguy
1 minute left to go in the game and a team is out of time outs, driving for the winning score, and a guy does a little Dielman dance.Refs are now in the position they have to make a decision to stop the clock for the training staff check or risk a guys health.Amongst many other scenarios, that is just one that highlights that the responsibility for these guys needs to remain with the team they play for, not the officials.Also agree with the liability issue mentioned above. With the responsibility comes the accountability.It compromises the officials in multiple ways to ask them to do this.'Reepicheep said:
Dexter Manley
Footballguy
Just another in a long line of seemingly endless stupendous decisions by Goodell.
If the NFL is truly serious about making sure players who are concussed are evaluated properly and held out of the game when they need to be, there's only one reasonable and effective solution that I'm aware of. Have an independent neurologist, who works directly for the league, on each team's sideline during every game, who will evaluate players and have the final say over team doctors.
Seriously, why hasn't this happened yet? Is the league worried about being held liable if such a system is imposed (which is the same reason that they aren't mandating that players wear the most protective helmets)?
If the NFL is truly serious about making sure players who are concussed are evaluated properly and held out of the game when they need to be, there's only one reasonable and effective solution that I'm aware of. Have an independent neurologist, who works directly for the league, on each team's sideline during every game, who will evaluate players and have the final say over team doctors.
Seriously, why hasn't this happened yet? Is the league worried about being held liable if such a system is imposed (which is the same reason that they aren't mandating that players wear the most protective helmets)?
delusional
Footballguy
This is just the tip of it, which is why i said concussion police. It may be nothing right now but just wait. With how Goodell is and trying to put his stamp on EVERYTHING & change football, it will not surprise me to see a ref intervene & make a player leave the game because of possible concussions ( or at least leave a series to get checked by sideline doctors ) in the near future.
This is all kinds of wrong.
edit: The refs have trouble NOW just getting calls right on the field, getting replays right even. Their judgement is already seen by some of the flags they are tossing on "supposed illegal hits". Do you really want this same group of non medically trained refs to have MORE responsibility & have to cater after a players health too?
This is all kinds of wrong.
edit: The refs have trouble NOW just getting calls right on the field, getting replays right even. Their judgement is already seen by some of the flags they are tossing on "supposed illegal hits". Do you really want this same group of non medically trained refs to have MORE responsibility & have to cater after a players health too?
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Amused to Death
Footballguy
This is another BS tactic to cover their rears against lawsuits. "Look, we're doing all we can". But its hard to take them seriously until they require all players to wear the improved helmets. As it is right now, players can choose to wear the better helmets, but at the team's expense. The NFL needs to make the helmet protection requirements stricter. The technology's there. The NFL chooses not to require it.
And no, the refs should not double as on-field trainers.
And no, the refs should not double as on-field trainers.
Reepicheep
Footballguy
Agree 100% about the helmet issue. It's a joke that they are making so much noise about concussions and not taking the simplest, most obvious step. This is a hobby horse of Gregg Easterbrook's, and I agree with him - the NFL should be setting the example for college and HS football in this reguard, and instead it's dropping the ball.This is another BS tactic to cover their rears against lawsuits. "Look, we're doing all we can". But its hard to take them seriously until they require all players to wear the improved helmets. As it is right now, players can choose to wear the better helmets, but at the team's expense. The NFL needs to make the helmet protection requirements stricter. The technology's there. The NFL chooses not to require it.
Amused to Death
Footballguy
What makes this even more hypocritical is the NFL just renewed their contract with Riddell last year and did nothing to make the protection better. For all the NFLs hollering about player safety and concussions, they did nothing about it when the best chance for improvement presented itself. They could have switched to Schutt or made Riddell improve their protection.Agree 100% about the helmet issue. It's a joke that they are making so much noise about concussions and not taking the simplest, most obvious step. This is a hobby horse of Gregg Easterbrook's, and I agree with him - the NFL should be setting the example for college and HS football in this reguard, and instead it's dropping the ball.This is another BS tactic to cover their rears against lawsuits. "Look, we're doing all we can". But its hard to take them seriously until they require all players to wear the improved helmets. As it is right now, players can choose to wear the better helmets, but at the team's expense. The NFL needs to make the helmet protection requirements stricter. The technology's there. The NFL chooses not to require it.
