The NFL Players Association recently sent a “brain health and concussion education” video to every player in the league.
“The NFLPA, in collaboration with the American Academy of Neurology, The American Brain Foundation, as well as former and current NFL players, created this educational video which is intended to provide important information on brain health, concussion, and the NFL Concussion Protocols.”
Former Gopher tight end Ben Utecht, who won a Super Bowl with Peyton Manning and the Colts, is one of the main spokespeople in the video.
“All of us as players would say that there was such a lack of education growing up surrounding concussions and the amount of times that we had our bell rung,” Utecht says in the video. “So you just keep going and you keep pushing through, and it (a concussion) does effect you differently than it would an orthopedic injury.”
There are six identifiers that doctors on the sideline look for when a player is suspected of having a concussion.
- Loss of conciousness/unresponsiveness
- Confusion
- Amnesia
- Abnormal neurologic findings
- New or persistent symptoms
- Progressive symptoms
“Your skill is what’s going to keep you on that field,” Utecht adds in his message to current players. “So don’t be afraid, if in fact, you ever face a concussion – to speak up about it.”
