Concussions: NFLPA to pitch plan for neurologists posting, league rejects idea – NFL News
The National Football League (NFL) Players Association (NFLPA) is learnt to have been contemplating a campaign to seek appointment of independent neurologists during each game to inspect players for concussions but the league itself is against the idea in
view of an opinion of a specialist who says that without baseline examination of each player the situation will get worse instead of getting better.
An anonymous union source has told NFL.com that the association is preparing to properly demand the league office for appointment of independent experts and they would make their case based on head injuries of some recent players, for example, Chicago Bears’
Jay Cutler.
This information comes a day after the union executive director asked Roger Goodell to appoint independent experts who do not have affiliations with teams to check the growing number of concussions to players.
Although the commissioner has reiterated that players’ safety is his office’s priority he directly has not hit the subject of independent experts. He while speaking at Harvard University stressed that the game of American football was fast evolving to be
safer and safer. This he said will end the culture of hits or violence and a culture of condoning this violence.
Now to NFLPA’s plans of campaigning for the neurologists, NFL spokesman Greg Aiello while responding to NFL.com cited a comment from Dr. Richard Ellenbogen. He is a co-chair of the NFL's head, neck and spine committee.
Dr Richard said:
"Independent experts on the sidelines would make the situation worse, unless they had a baseline exam on each player. No one knows the players as well as the athletic trainers, period. Having said that, some teams already have neurosurgeons on the sidelines.”
He added:
“Having a doc show up just for a game takes away the all-important baseline exam and continuity of care. It would be like getting operated upon by a surgeon who did not see you pre-operatively. Is that safer than having someone who saw you beforehand? The
baseline is all-important in making an assessment of a player."
It appears that the issue of concussion is going to make headlines once again, for a few days at least, and it can only be hoped that the matter is resolved sooner and in a better way.
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