# Is this a reasonable concussion policy? (NFL) **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 21, 2012, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726 "2012-12-21T11:05:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/1 "2012-12-21T11:05:42Z")
If I ran an NFL team, my policy would be: Out for rest of game, deactivated for following week (unless headed into bye). ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/2 "2012-12-21T13:46:16Z")
How is that better than the current policy? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/3 "2012-12-21T13:57:59Z")
I formulated my POV pre-current policy. (sorry to omit that from OP) I gather that’s the current policy? ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/4 "2012-12-21T14:17:31Z")
Players have to pass concussion testing versus a baseline by an independent neurologist before being allowed to return to the field. It is quite rare these days for a player diagnosed with a concussion to return the following week. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/5 "2012-12-21T14:18:05Z")
Current policy is a suspected concussion case is out for the game, and the player must be fully cleared by independent medical experts before practicing or playing. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/6 "2012-12-21T15:14:46Z")
Yeah, I don’t think anyone has any problems with the current policy. The problem is players either hiding symptons or coaches ignoring them so the player doesn’t get pulled. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/7 "2012-12-21T16:03:54Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > coaches ignoring them so the player doesn’t get pulled. This doesn’t happen in the NFL anymore, it’s not the coaches’ call. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/8 "2012-12-22T22:29:13Z")
What’s ‘bye’ mean? ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/9 "2012-12-22T22:40:58Z")
**elbows** -no game the following week. ---
**Author:** ![Miltonyz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/85f322/32.png) [@Miltonyz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miltonyz)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/10 "2012-12-22T23:17:30Z")
> [@Stringer](#): > > This doesn’t happen in the NFL anymore, it’s not the coaches’ call. Colt Mccoy played last year after a hit where pretty much the whole world could tell he was concussed. ---
**Author:** ![Stringer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Stringer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stringer)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/11 "2012-12-23T17:28:39Z")
> [@Miltonyz](#): > > Colt Mccoy played last year after a hit where pretty much the whole world could tell he was concussed. That was because the medical staff was busy treating other players and didn’t see the hit. It was a mistake by the medical staff, not an overzealous coach putting a concussed player back in the game. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/12 "2012-12-23T17:38:07Z")
They should just play “Touch” football. Or maybe “Flag” football. Then concussions won’t be an issue, and they can start playing every day instead of once per week. I’m damned if I’ll follow a team that I have to wait a frikkin’ _week_ to watch them play again. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-reasonable-concussion-policy-nfl/644726/13 "2012-12-24T15:17:26Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > They should just play “Touch” football. Or maybe “Flag” football. Then concussions won’t be an issue, and they can start playing every day instead of once per week. Or play [Sarcastaball](http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s16e08-sarcastaball)