9. Jets inject much-needed transparency into concussion diagnosis.
Early in Sunday’s game between the Jets and Bills, New York tight end Dustin Keller exited with what appeared to be a concussion. Labeled questionable with a head injury, Keller surprisingly returned to the game after halftime.
In the hopes of getting a better understanding of the manner in which the Jets handled the delicate and, for many fans, confusing process of determining whether or not a player has suffered a concussion, PFT sent a series of questions to the Jets. To their credit, the Jets provided substantive answers to every one.
Each question and answer appears below.
1. Who examined Keller and what is the person’s title?
Dr. Damion Martins, team internist, sports medicine specialist trained in concussion evaluation. The results of the testing, along with additional player evaluation, were all reviewed and cleared by the head team physician, Dr Kenneth Montgomery.
2. What tests were imposed?
The NFL League sideline evaluation form was utilized — passed. Balance testing (BESS Testing) — passed, exercise stress test — passed. Dustin returned only after all tests passed as good or better than baseline testing, and symptom free.
3. Where did the evaluation occur?
The evaluation occurred in the locker room to assure a quiet and distraction-free environment.
4. When was the decision made that he would return?
Once it was confirmed that the player passed all tests and felt absolutely normal. If he was not perfect, he would not have returned. We are very conservative and the players we have held out so far this year were Donald Strickland, Garrett McIntyre, and Matthias Berning.
5. Was there any suspicion that he’d suffered a concussion?
He felt “dizzy” immediately after the play but felt fine by the time he reached the sideline. He denied symptoms on sideline evaluation and passed a simple sideline questionnaire on the bench. Out of respect for the injury, we took him to the locker room to perform a thorough evaluation to be sure. We were concerned enough to perform the testing, but all signs and tests suggest that he did not have a concussion.
6. The was questionable to return with a “head” injury — what was the specific injury to his head?
He hit his head and was dizzy for several seconds. That is why we listed it as his head. He was questionable only during the time he was being evaluated. His symptoms cleared immediately. It happens to several players in every NFL game.
7. Was any testing conducted at halftime? If so, by whom and what were they?
The extensive testing above occurred before half time. He participated in team meetings at halftime with his teammates. We checked on him several times after each offensive series and he remained symptom free.
8. Were further tests conducted after the game?
We evaluated him after the game and he remained symptom free. We will continue to check on him as the week progresses.
This is precisely the kind of transparency that is needed, if fans and the media are going to properly understand the manner in which teams decide whether a player has suffered a concussion. The fact that the release of this information is not required by the league’s injury-reporting rules makes the team’s decision to share the data even more admirable.
