In their statement Saturday, the NFL and players’ union said there was not an examination of the QB’s back during the check for a concussion, but medical personnel “instead relied on the earlier examination conducted by other members of the medical staff.” The conclusion then was that the back injury was the cause of Tagovailoa’s instability.Īs a result of the joint investigation, the league and union agreed to change the league’s concussion protocol to include the term “ataxia.” In the statement, ataxia is defined as “abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue.”Ītaxia replaced the term “gross motor instability” and has been added to the list of symptoms that would prohibit a player from returning to the game. He started the third quarter, drawing wide-spread criticism as to why he was allowed to return to the game. Tagovailoa was immediately taken to the locker room and to go through the NFL’s concussion protocol, after which he was cleared of any head injury.

He appeared disoriented afterward and stumbled as he tried to get to his feet. 25 against Buffalo, Tagovailoa took a hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano, which caused him to slam to the ground. The league and players’ union said in a joint statement Saturday that while the Dolphins followed protocol after the injury, the outcome of the Tagovailoa case “was not what was intended when the Protocol was drafted.” As a result, language addressing abnormality of balance/stability was added to the league’s protocol list of symptoms that would keep a player from returning to the game. (AP) - The NFL and NFL Players Association have agreed to make changes to the league’s concussion protocol following a joint investigation into the procedures after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered what was described as a back injury against the Buffalo Bills last month.

Vice president salute protocol