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NFL Random Thought of the Day

CloakNNNdagger said:
Josh Allen’s guarded remarks highlight checklist vs. healthcare tension over concussions
By Mike Florio
Published October 10, 2024 09:49 AM

Fifteen years ago, the NFL was forced to move away from the traditional how many fingers?-style model for clearing players to return after taking a big blow to the head. And much has changed, in part because if the NFL hadn’t done it on its own, Congress would have forced the issue.

A tension still lingers between getting a key player back on the field after a potential concussion and providing actual healthcare to a player who has suffered a brain injury. The latest example of it came from (and continues to come from) Bills quarterback Josh Allen.

On Sunday, Allen hit his head on the ground, hard. He missed 2:30 of game time and 6:06 of real time while he received an evaluation, first of his ankle and then of his brain. At one point on the sideline, he was offered smelling salts. He ultimately missed only one offensive snap in a game the Bills trailed by three points, 20-17, in the fourth quarter.

On one hand, it’s a checklist. On the other hand, it’s healthcare — or at least it should be. The problem is that proper healthcare takes too long. Dr. Julian Bailes told me years ago that the sideline is no place for an effective concussion evaluation.

“Making the diagnosis of concussion on the field or sideline has always been difficult,” Dr. Bailes told PFT by email in 2011. “Lately I’ve come to think that the safest way if an athlete has ‘concussion-like symptoms,’ is to remove them to the locker room where you can be away from the noise, cold, and distractions. If there is any suspicion that a concussion has occurred, then they are not put back in the game.”

The late John Madden put it this way: “When in doubt, leave them out.”

The problem with that approach is that players who ultimately did not have concussions could be prevented from playing. The more important the player, the more problematic that becomes for his team — and for a league that wants its best players on the field.

For Allen, was it a checklist applied on an expedited basis, or was it healthcare? Was there suspicion he’d suffered a concussion? The offer of smelling salts would tend to confirm that.

Three days later, something still seemed to be a little off, to the outside observer. Consider Allen’s words from Wednesday: “I obviously went into the tent. I can only control what I can control. What we talked about there, they deemed me cleared to play, and that’s what happened. That’s as deep as I’ll get into it.”

That last part feels less like Allen exercising his HIPAA rights and more like Allen choosing to say as little as possible because he might say something that lands him in the protocol.

It’s not his fault. The system allows it, if not encourages it. Like any other portion of the rules, the concussion protocol becomes something for which teams that want to win football games need to approach strategically. The players want to play.

The teams want the players to play. They understand what it takes to allow them to play.

The players, as Joe Burrow said in the aftermath of the initial Tua Tagovailoa concussion controversy, know what they signed up for. But the league has created a system that, when properly applied, can keep them from doing the thing they signed up to do.

Therein lies the rub. Checklist vs. healthcare. The players and their teams want it to be the former. The league, ideally, wants it to be the latter.

But does it? Again, the game benefits from having the best players on the field. The game benefits from players not being unreasonably delayed from returning to play after suffering a suspected concussion.

Most of us aren’t doctors. Most of us have common sense. Concussion evaluations all too often seem as if they’re regarded by player and/or team as an annoyance, not as a diagnostic tool critical to the short- and long-term health of the player.

The faster they’re done, the more they seem to be no different than a pit crew changing out the tires and filling the tank with gas. Time is of the essence, when the real essence should be the well being of a player who is willing to disregard it in the moment.
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I agree with Burrow
 
@thunderkyss


Hutchinson having fractured his tibia and fibula will not be back this season.

*************************

Dan Campbell: Aidan Hutchinson out 4-6 months, but I would never count him out
By Josh Alper
Published October 14, 2024 03:36 PM

Chances are good that Aidan Hutchinson has played his final snap of the 2024 season, but the Lions aren’t ruling anything out.

Hutchinson had surgery to repair a fractured tibia and fibula after being injured during Sunday’s win over the Cowboys and the Lions declined to give a timetable for his return in a statement about the operation. A report indicated there’s a chance Hutchinson could be back for the Super Bowl and head coach Dan Campbell said at a Monday press conference that the team will keep the door open.

“It’s 4-6 months,” Campbell said. “I would never count Hutch out. Ever. Long road, but I would never count him out. If anyone can make it back, it’s him.”

Campbell said the team’s eyes are open, but that they are “not in a hurry” to bring in any outside players to help cover for the loss of Hutchinson. He also said he has faith that defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn can find the right way to keep the unit productive despite the major loss they suffered on Sunday.
 
From Sept 29, 2024:

CloakNNNdagger said:
Rashee Rice looks to me that he suffered a hyperextension of his knee when Mahomes accidentally hit his own man in the upper thigh. Besides a quad contusion, I wouldn't be surprised if Rice sustained a knee bone bruise with possibly a PCorL tear if not an ACL. At very least, I don't see how he avoids IR.
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**********************

Andy Reid: Rashee Rice had surgery on PLC, timeline for return similar to ACL
By Myles Simmons
Published October 14, 2024 02:12 PM

There is more clarity regarding Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice’s knee injury.

But Rice is still on track to miss the rest of the 2024 season.

“His surgery was not his ACL, it was the posteriorlateral corner [PCorL]— there’s damage there,” Reid said. “It’s probably the same result, though, as you’d get time-wise for an ACL. It takes a while for that to come back. He’ll get into his rehab and get rolling on that as we go here. That’s what it was.”

Rice suffered his injury early on in the Week 4 victory over the Chargers.

He will finish his 2024 season with 24 catches for 288 yards with two touchdowns.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
From Sept 29, 2024:




**********************

Andy Reid: Rashee Rice had surgery on PLC, timeline for return similar to ACL
By Myles Simmons
Published October 14, 2024 02:12 PM

There is more clarity regarding Chiefs receiver Rashee Rice’s knee injury.

But Rice is still on track to miss the rest of the 2024 season.

“His surgery was not his ACL, it was the posteriorlateral corner [PCorL]— there’s damage there,” Reid said. “It’s probably the same result, though, as you’d get time-wise for an ACL. It takes a while for that to come back. He’ll get into his rehab and get rolling on that as we go here. That’s what it was.”

Rice suffered his injury early on in the Week 4 victory over the Chargers.

He will finish his 2024 season with 24 catches for 288 yards with two touchdowns.
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I wonder if they will let him serve his suspension this year? After all we're talking about the NFL and the Chiefs. They're a partnership at this point.


Meanwhile Mario Edwards gets suspended 4 games for using Adderall.
 
The Concussion Protocol continues to prove itself grossly inadequate.............i.e., a joke.

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Marvin Harrison Jr. is officially in the concussion protocol
By Mike Florio
Published October 14, 2024 08:44 PM

The top two receivers in the 2024 draft are currently in the concussion protocol.
Joining Giants receiver Malik Nabers on the league’s return-to-play process is Cardinals receiver Marvin Harrison, Jr.

On Sunday against the Packers, Harrison wobbled and fell after he got up. His head had hit the thigh of a Green Bay defender.
Harrison eventually was ruled out. The apparent presence of ataxia (the term the NFL and NFL Players Association adopted in 2022 to replace “gross motor instability”) did not result in him immediately being declared out.

The Cardinals face the Chargers next Monday night, giving Harrison an extra day to pass through the various steps of the concussion protocol. Nabers has missed two games since suffering a concussion on the Thursday night of Week 4, last month.
 
Only 3 teams in the NFL have won 5 games.

Chiefs 5-0
Vikings 5-0
Texans 5-1

Divisions from best to worse

NFC North 17-5-0 .773
AFC West 13-9-0 .591
NFC East 12-11-0 .522
NFC South 11-13-0 .458
AFC North 11-13-0 .458
AFC South 10-13-0 .435
NFC West 9-14-0 .391
AFC East 9-14-0 .391
 
JB said:
www.espn.com

Reddick's new agents eye end to Jets dispute

Dropped by his longtime agency last week, New York Jets holdout pass rusher Haason Reddick has hired Drew Rosenhaus and Ryan Matha as his new agents.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Rosenhaus, who already has talked with the Jets, told ESPN's Adam Schefter that he expressed hope that the dispute can be resolved soon.

"We look forward to working with the Jets to get this resolved as soon as possible," Rosenhaus told Schefter. "Haason would like to be a New York Jet for years to come, and our goal is to make that happen."
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New update:

www.nbcsports.com

Haason Reddick, Drew Rosenhaus have permission to seek a trade

Jets defensive end Haason Reddick has a new agent.
www.nbcsports.com www.nbcsports.com

Jets defensive end Haason Reddick has a new agent. Soon, he might have a new team.
As explained during the 8:00 a.m. ET hour of PFT Live, Drew Rosenhaus has received permission to broker a trade for Reddick. One source estimated it to be a 48-hour period.
Rosenhaus declined comment.
On Monday, Rosenhaus told NFL Network that his goal is to work things out with the Jets.
Perhaps the only way to do that is to exhaust and any all trade opportunities. Once Reddick knows what other teams will, or won’t, pay, it becomes easier for Reddick to love the one he’s with.
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We know the Jets organization does not have a good track record with QBs. The Browns - no further comment is warranted if you have been following football the last 13 months.

Could we see Shedeur Sanders tell the Browns and the Jets to not draft him and he won’t play there?

I know if I was him I would. Or any QB.

Let me drop to the 2nd round if I have to.

Seattle, Miami, or Pittsburgh may pick him up. I would rather be drafted there in the low first or low 2nd than go to the Jets or Browns.

Keep me out of Tennessee and Carolina too.
 
Sunday Giants LT Andrew Thomas suffered a "foot injury." It was recently hinted that it was a Jones fracture. But now from what I understand, it is believed that it could be a Lisfranc injury. It is likely that Thomas will be out for the season. He is being seen by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. for a 2nd opinion.
 
There is no fad more annoying than players running around without their mouth guard. Just irritates me. Not because of the dental work they’ll need if they take a hit wrong.

But because kids will inevitably copy them and an easily preventable accident will happen. Plus the added annoyance of refs stopping play to make these kids put their dang mouth guard back in!
 
thunderkyss said:
How did Josh Allen look last night?

Still suffering from back to back weeks of concussions?
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He did well. Just a FYI, a player can still have relatively moderate unself-reported concussion symptoms and still function well. The danger of second-impact concussion and extended brain injury remains high with continued play. Some players will "luck out"............others will not................one heck of a smart approach! :sarcasm:
 
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CloakNNNdagger said:
Sunday Giants LT Andrew Thomas suffered a "foot injury." It was recently hinted that it was a Jones fracture. But now from what I understand, it is believed that it could be a Lisfranc injury. It is likely that Thomas will be out for the season. He is being seen by foot and ankle specialist Dr. Robert Anderson in Charlotte, N.C. for a 2nd opinion.
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Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Thomas underwent successful surgery to correct a Lisfranc injury in his foot.
 
welsh texan said:
Assuming T’ooT’oo doesn’t make it through the concussion protocol in time for Sunday and with Shaair almost certainly OUT, no sign of Christian Harris’ return, the thinnest depth on our roster LB now has the 3 slated starters all out just at the point when we should have weathered the storm and have them all available.
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As I said before, LB was the weakest spot depth wise on the team. It's why I really wanted Caserio to draft Payton Wilson. Even if Caserio needed to spend 2025 draft picks to make this happen. Any LB's out there available in trades? I would love to see a trade for Cleveland's JOK, or the Raiders Spillane/Diablo.

Looks like Caserio's work is cut out for him, he needs to find a vet CB too.
 
steelbtexan said:
As I said before, LB was the weakest spot depth wise on the team. It's why I really wanted Caserio to draft Payton Wilson. Even if Caserio needed to spend 2025 draft picks to make this happen. Any LB's out there available in trades? I would love to see a trade for Cleveland's JOK, or the Raiders Spillane/Diablo.

Looks like Caserio's work is cut out for him, he needs to find a vet CB too.
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If there is a man for the job it is Caserio.

Raiders and Browns have thrown in the towel this season.
 
Browns should keep selling off veteran contracts
By Mike Florio
Published October 16, 2024 02:32 PM

In February, the Browns unveiled a proposal to delay the trade deadline, in order to give teams more time to realize that a fork has been stuck in them.

In the first year of the new deadline, the Browns didn’t need the new nine-week window. Or the prior deadline of eight weeks.

The Browns realize they’re cooked for 2024, with a record of 1-5 and a ball-and-chain contract given in 2022 to quarterback Deshaun Watson, whom the team won’t bench even though anyone not connected to the team believes it should.
(More than a few connected to the team likely believe it should, too. But they can’t say anything.)

The decision to trade receiver Amari Cooper says it all. If they believed they were going to contend this year, they would have kept him.

Given the $92 million in remaining salary guarantees for Watson, the Browns should have a full-blown fire sale. As to anyone who won’t be there after 2026, when they finally are able to shed Watson’s contract, see if there’s a trade market. Dump the cash and cap space, add a draft pick or two, and begin reloading the roster with young, cheap players whose contracts offset the albatross that is the Deshaun Watson deal.

Should anyone be safe? Probably not. If the trade offer is right and the cap consequences don’t make things significantly worse, why not move on?

For the players who get traded, it will feel like getting sprung from prison. Cooper surely feels that way. As his former teammates see him thrive elsewhere, they might want the same thing.
And they have nearly three full weeks to ask for it.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Browns should keep selling off veteran contracts
By Mike Florio
Published October 16, 2024 02:32 PM

In February, the Browns unveiled a proposal to delay the trade deadline, in order to give teams more time to realize that a fork has been stuck in them.

In the first year of the new deadline, the Browns didn’t need the new nine-week window. Or the prior deadline of eight weeks.

The Browns realize they’re cooked for 2024, with a record of 1-5 and a ball-and-chain contract given in 2022 to quarterback Deshaun Watson, whom the team won’t bench even though anyone not connected to the team believes it should.
(More than a few connected to the team likely believe it should, too. But they can’t say anything.)

The decision to trade receiver Amari Cooper says it all. If they believed they were going to contend this year, they would have kept him.

Given the $92 million in remaining salary guarantees for Watson, the Browns should have a full-blown fire sale. As to anyone who won’t be there after 2026, when they finally are able to shed Watson’s contract, see if there’s a trade market. Dump the cash and cap space, add a draft pick or two, and begin reloading the roster with young, cheap players whose contracts offset the albatross that is the Deshaun Watson deal.

Should anyone be safe? Probably not. If the trade offer is right and the cap consequences don’t make things significantly worse, why not move on?

For the players who get traded, it will feel like getting sprung from prison. Cooper surely feels that way. As his former teammates see him thrive elsewhere, they might want the same thing.
And they have nearly three full weeks to ask for it.
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Texans could use a linebacker and corner.
 
Buzbee again "resolving" a case before it can be heard by the NFL.........and taking the easy money for he and his clients instead of seeking justice, which in many cases would bring in more money if the case were won...............but would take a lot more work on his part.

It's laughable that the NFL said that they did a "thorough investigation" in making their decision to absolve McManus.

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Lawsuit against Brandon McManus is “resolved”
By Mike Florio
Published October 16, 2024 11:43 PM

Kicker Brandon McManus is back in the NFL, as a member of the Packers. And the claims that could have derailed his career even longer than they did are now behind him.

Via Rob Demovsky of ESPN.com, McManus said Wednesday that the lawsuit filed by two flight attendants against him for assault and sexual assault has been “resolved.”

Both his lawyer, Brett Gallaway, and the attorney representing the plaintiffs, Tony Buzbee, confirmed that the case has been resolved. Neither disclosed any of the terms.

McManus was cut by the Commanders not long after the lawsuit was filed. On September 30, the league announced that its investigation of McManus revealed insufficient evidence of a violation of the Personal Conduct Policy. Buzbee told PFT after the NFL’s declaration that the league had not interviewed the plaintiffs.

Now that the case has been resolved, the plaintiffs most likely won’t be cooperating.

The article doesn’t say whether the claims against the Jaguars also had been resolved. Without a global resolution, however, the plaintiffs could at some point tell their story during depositions or trial testimony. That fact alone suggests strongly that all claims against all defendants have been resolved, and that the plaintiffs are bound by a blanket confidentiality agreement.

“It’s been a difficult time these last couple of months,” McManus said Wednesday, via Demovsky. “I’m happy that it’s in the past now. I was hoping and working hard for another opportunity. I’m extremely grateful for the Green Bay Packers for giving me that next chance to come back out here and play the game I love.”

Packers G.M. Brian Gutekunst declined to delve into the details, instead saying the team is “very, very comfortable” with the situation.

“I think for us really obviously he wouldn’t be available right now if those accusations weren’t out there,” Gutekunst said Wednesday, per Demovsky. “But I think the league did a really thorough investigation, and we leaned on that as we went through it.”

The investigation couldn’t have been all that thorough if the plaintiffs weren’t interviewed. And if the case was resolved before they could cooperate, the process was short circuited in the same way it was by the settlement of the recent lawsuit against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. The accuser in that case also was represented by Buzbee.



Settlements of civil cases are common. Confidentiality clauses are common, too. The ability of NFL players who are accused of wrongdoing to broker settlements that buy silence highlights the biggest flaw inherent to the league’s in-house justice system. With no subpoena power, the NFL can never get to the full and complete truth.

Whatever the truth might be.
 
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