NFL Concussions

Borland, Now What?

Dustin Fink1 Comment

If you are interested in sports or the brain trauma/concussion debate you probably did not miss the news about Chris Borland’s abrupt retirement from the NFL and the San Francisco 49ers.  In case you missed it, he broke this news to Outside the Lines on ESPN.

Since he made his decision there has been quite the discussion regarding why and what this means in the long-term; not only for football but for the awareness angle of this injury he has cited for his reason for hanging them up.

But what does it really mean, beyond the #hottakes from all over the internet?

When Borland decided it was his time walk away he knew there would be great interest, well had to know.  It has not been the norm to see a 24-year-old to retire due to concerns over long-term effects of repetitive brain trauma.  Most people in his position, now and going forward, are probably more concerned about making a living playing a game they love and a good one at that.  But think about the ripple effect of this news.

First, remember when Jake Locker decided to retire?  Hardly now, I bet.  Or Patrick Willis, from the same 49er team?  A bit more memorable because of his stature, I bet.

But both of those decisions were pale in comparison to the news from Borland, who until he retired I and many hardly knew him outside of very devout followers of the league and team.  The reaction was a combination of mass hysteria and shock with everyone waiting to chime in their opinion.  We saw nothing like that from the other two more “high-profile” players before Borland.  Why was this… Continue reading →

Concussion Trends 2010-2012; TCB Original Research

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The National Football League is nine days away from the kickoff of its regular season.  If social media, fantasy sports, and hype are any indication 2014 is set up to one of the most watched seasons in history.  There are plenty of story lines abound: from each division, to playing time of newly drafted players, to veterans returning from injury, and of course concussions.

The league is doing its best to keep concussions from overriding the game itself, as they should be.  Concussion is but just one of a myriad of injuries sustained in the sport; plus it is not unique to just American Football.  However this issue continues to gain/keep traction because of the relatively late and “slow-footed” response to this topic.  Even though the settlement with the players has been all but signed-sealed-delivered (there are some interesting issues posed by Patrick Hruby that are worth noting), the youth arm of the league is promoting and teaching a “safer” way of tackling, and the talking points about this injury are becoming more evident from players and the league; there still is a shroud of secrecy.  In all the hand-wringing and court battles and public relations scuffles the leader of this glorious sport has yet to “rip the band-aid off” and assess the situation.

How can you assess the situation?  I think it is rather simple: gather data to find out the “true” value of actual concussions sustained in the NFL over a season.  Then and only then can you see if any changes brought forth are actually helping the cause.

Sure the league has its own data and is probably doing just that, but it is so far behind a curtain, tucked in a corner where light has no chance of hitting it.  I have always thought we should be transparent on this issue; or at least have a truly (Pollyannaish) independent data collection group for it.  At the very least an Ombudsman should be hawking this situation, for this is not going to go away over night.  It won’t go away until we can definitively say ‘X’ is the way to play this game with ‘Y’ & ‘Z’ at the professional level; then each subsequent level below the pro ranks need to modify based upon age and development.

The NFL probably doesn’t want this responsibility for it comes with some liability, not only on the medical front but in the public relations department…  SO WHAT!  When I chose to have a child I didn’t have the choice to be a role model and change the way I played life in order to make sure my children grew up safe and learned a better way to live.  The NFL is basically the “father figure” for the other levels of this great sport.  I have heard a great saying, it was applied to business in general: “the tree rots from the top”.  This is exactly the case in a family, in a business and in sport.

When the blog began in 2010 there was no way to find out how many concussions were occurring in the NFL without Continue reading →

#tbt: Eye Opener from 2012: Was it overlooked?

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Originally titled “Bombshell Found in Sports Illustrated Vault” this post appeared on July 4, 2012…  To this day, it may be one of the most poignant articles I have written about the road we have been down.  I believe that this post still rings true, two years later, in regards to all the information we knew that we didn’t know…  

Considering where – 2014 – and what has transpired – League of Denial – this article may have been glossed over and was WAY AHEAD OF ITS TIME from SI.  I often find myself wondering why we are not learning from the past to make proactive measures going forward…

Enjoy the read from the past (excellent RT @protectthebrain);

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Thanks to @ConcernedMom9 I was sent an article from Sports Illustrated written by Michael Farber.  Before I tell you the year and provide the link I want so share some quotes from it;

“People are missing the boat on brain injuries,” says Dr. James P. Kelly, director of the brain-injury program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University Medical School. “It isn’t just cataclysmic injury or death from brain injuries that should concern people. The core of the person can change from repeated blows to the head.

“I get furious every time I watch a game and hear the announcers say, ‘Wow, he really got his bell rung on that play.’ It’s almost like, ‘Yuk, yuk, yuk,’ as if they’re joking. Concussions are no joke.”

That sounds very similar to what we are discussing now in 2012.

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•Of the 1.5 million high school football players in the U.S., 250,000 suffer a concussion in any given season, according to a survey conducted for The American Journal of Public Health.

•A player who has already suffered a concussion is four times more likely to get one than a player who has been concussion-free. Quarterbacks, running backs, receivers and defensive backs are most vulnerable, […] that special teams players were at the highest risk per minute spent on the field.

•Concussions are underreported at all levels of football. This is partly because of the subtlety of a mild concussion (unless a player is as woozy as a wino, the injury might go undetected by a busy trainer or coach) but primarily because players have bought into football’s rub-dirt-on-it ethos. “If we get knocked in the head, it’s embarrassing to come to the sideline and say, ‘Hey, my head’s feeling funny,’ ” says San Francisco 49er quarterback Steve Young, who has suffered at least a half dozen concussions. “So I’m sure we’re denying it.”

•Football’s guidelines for players returning after concussions are sometimes more lenient than boxing’s. The New Jersey Boxing Commission requires a fighter who is knocked out to wait 60 days and submit to an electroencephalogram (EEG) before being allowed back into the ring.

•According to Ken Kutner, a New Jersey neuropsychologist, postconcussion syndrome is far more widespread than the NFL or even those suffering from the syndrome would lead us to believe. […] Kutner says that the players fear that admitting to postconcussion syndrome might cost them a job after retirement from football.

Hmmm, we all thought this was information new to us – new being 2008.

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That, however, doesn’t console Lawrence and Irene Guitterez of Monte Vista, Colo. “He just thought it was something trivial,” Irene says of her son, Adrian, who was a running back on the Monte Vista High team three years ago. “He had a headache and was sore, but it seemed like cold symptoms. He wasn’t one to complain. He wouldn’t say anything to anybody. He wanted to play in the Alamosa game.”

He did play. At halftime Guitterez, who had suffered a concussion in a game two weeks before and had not yet shaken the symptoms, begged teammates not to tell the coaches how woozy he felt. When he was tackled early in the third quarter, he got up disoriented and then collapsed. Five days later he died.

Years later another Colorado high school football player, Jake Snakenberg, would unfortunately repeat history; leading to the concussion legislation passed in that state.

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Do you have a guess on the year… Continue reading →

Editorial: NFL Kickoff Removal/Concussions

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If you have noticed the sports news cycle you certainly have heard about John Mara and his comments regarding the possible removal of the kickoff in the NFL to protect against injuries, concussions as the main reason.  Mara used the oft cited decline in concussions with the rule change from last year.

Granted the forces changed but also as I stated in my previous post about the decline, reducing the exposure will reduce the incidence.  It would be like taking driving privileges from 16 year old’s and allowing them to drive at 16 1/2.  The number of accidents and fatalities will drop.  It should be noted that in our data collection of concussions we found only two concussions due to kickoffs, the previous season we found six.  Hardly a monumental decrease, but none-the-less a decrease and if they wanted to reduce the chances they did do that.

I am pro-football; with the proper precautions put in place (see athletic trainers and education).  I am even more pro professional football as it is played by adults that should now have all the relevant information regarding player safety.  Continue reading →

The Case Against The NFL – Hruby

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Interviewer: Is there any evidence, as far as you’re concerned, that links multiple head injuries among pro football players with depression?

Casson: No.

Interviewer: With dementia?

Casson: No.

Interviewer: With early onset of Alzheimer’s?

Casson: No.

Interviewer: Is there any evidence as of today that links multiple head injuries with any long-term problem like that?

Casson: In NFL players?

Interviewer: Yeah.

Casson: No.

The above is not a made up story, in fact it is on video for everyone to see and make their own judgements.  Patrick Hruby of Yahoo! Sports and “The Post Game.” has written yet ANOTHER very good article about concussions.  This one delves into the hot water the NFL is finding itself in; if not in court then in public opinion – if anyone cares to look at the information. Continue reading →

NFL New Guidelines

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As reported earlier, the National Football League will be using standardized testing for concussions, as well as tightened down return to play protocol.  Gary Mihoches of USAToday wrote about it this evening;

The league will utilize “standardized” sideline procedures for assessing whether players have sustained concussions during a game or practice and whether they have crossed the “No Go” threshold for removal.

The Associated Press reported that 154 concussions occurred during games and practices in the first eight weeks of last season.

The meat and potatoes of the article is the actual test that will be used.  Both the baseline test and the post injury test will be used allowing for a clear comparison of the player.  This tool makes is much more quantifiable for those treating the injury, as well it provides “black and white” answers to the player.  This test can be administered in 15-20 minutes and will encompass cognitive and balance assessments, it was derived from the SCAT2 from the Zürich Conference.

The other part of this article that I find intriguing is the number you see above.  Continue reading →

NFL to Implement New Sideline Test

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The National Football League sent out a presser that they will be implementing a standard sideline assessment for concussions in the upcoming year.  The presser reads in whole via the AP;

NDIANAPOLIS — The NFL says it will use a new sideline test to determine concussions next season.The league said in a release Wednesday that more details of the evaluation will be announced on Friday in Indianapolis, where the annual scouting combine is being held this week.

But the NFL said the new sideline test will include a checklist of symptoms, a limited neurological evaluation and a balance assessment. It will employ many components of the evaluation process developed during a Concussion in Sport meeting at Zurich in 2008.

The test was developed by the NFL’s Head, Neck, and Spine Committee, with input from the NFL team physicians and athletic trainers and their professional associations.

If this assessment is based upon Zurich as stated one could expect to see a version of the SCAT2 used, along with the Baseline Error Scoring System.

Sideline Concussion Assessment Tool-2

Baseline Error Scoring System (BESS)

This long overdue as the NFL, weather they like it or not, sets standards that most will grasp and comform to when it comes to concussions in football and sports.

A small disclaimer on the Zurich-2008 Recommendations; professional American football is the ONLY sport that has an exception about allowing players to return to play on the same day;

This issue was extensively discussed by the consensus
panelists and it was acknowledged that there is evidence
that some professional American football players are able to return
to play more quickly, with even same day RTP supported by
National Football League studies without a risk of recurrence or
sequelae.61 There are data, however, demonstrating that at the collegiate
and high school level, athletes allowed to RTP on the same
day may demonstrate NP deficits post-injury that may not be evident
on the sidelines and are more likely to have delayed onset of
symptoms.62–68 It should be emphasized, however, that the young
(<18 years) elite athlete should be treated more conservatively
even though the resources may be the same as for an older professional
athlete (see Section 6.1).

Brain Expert Omalu Wants Longer Rest for Concussed Football Players

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Scott Fujita

A occassional contributor to The Concussion Blog, Matt Chaney, a journalist, editor, teacher and publisher, also has a blog.  However, Chaney has published a book titled Spiral of Denial; Muscle Doping in American Football, so he is not new to finding and presenting good information.

Sideline concussed juveniles for three months, says breakthrough neuropath NP testing, lacks validation and might be harmful, critics charge NFL players rebuke ‘safer’ football through their ‘behavior modification’

By Matt Chaney
Posted Friday, January 28, 2011

So-called concussion awareness is said to be sweeping American football, and Scott Fujita, veteran NFL linebacker, agrees to a point.

Yes, Fujita confirms, even hard dudes like him have sobered in their perspective. Head injuries are no longer considered trivial in football but as serious business, and NFL players get it, especially
Fujita, nearing 32 years old at arguably the game’s most violent position for Cleveland.

In his mind the most menacing guys don’t appear so tough anymore, just more human, fragile—even as he targets one to smash on the field.

“I gotta be honest, I think about that every time I go in now to tackle somebody,” Fujita, 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds, said this week in a phone interview. “I’m concerned for my own safety as well as
theirs. I’m a married guy, I’ve got two young kids, and I see a lot more the big picture than I ever did before.”

But has anything changed about danger in tackle football, the game that kills and maims? Is so-called safer play really taking over?

Fujita, member of the players union executive committee, doesn’t equivocate in answering, typical of his trademark frankness. “Do I feel safer with the emphasis on the rules and all that kind of stuff?
No, that doesn’t make me feel safer,” Fujita said. “Do I think the emphasis makes the game safer? No. Overall, I don’t, know.”

READ MORE HERE

The entire article is VERY comprehensive and has some intriguing interviews, below are more excerpts; Continue reading →

NFL Concussion Report Week 15

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The Concussion Blog Original, NFL Concussion Report, is a weekly compiling of the reported head injuries in the National Football League.  Concussions are added to the list each week from multiple sources to give you the reader a picture of what is happening on the field.  Each week we will bring you the list of players along with relevant statistics.  If we have missed a concussion or put one on here erroneously, let us know.

Another high-profile week for concussions as Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers sustained a concussion, for the second time in 9 weeks.  As we have discussed this is just another opportunity for the NFL and the Packers to use current concussion management to “get it right”.  If Rodgers has no symptoms, no balance issues, no sleep disturbances and has tested back to baseline then he can and should return.  If any of the above are not “normal” then he should sit out.

With the late addition of Chad Clifton last week and the eight new concussions this week we are ready to present your Week 15 NFL Concussion Report;

Regular Season

  • 127 Regular Season Concussions
  • 9.07 Concussions/Week (9.10 W14)
  • .60 Concussions/Game (.60 W14)
  • 154 Projected Concussions (154 W14)
  • 14.60% Incidence Rate (14.61% W14)
  • 9.09% Epidemiological Incidence (9.10% W14)

Total Concussions

  • 135 Reported Concussions/Head Injuries
  • Team Breakdown

NFL Concussion Report Week 14 UPDATE

Dustin Fink1 Comment

The Concussion Blog Original, NFL Concussion Report is a weekly compiling of the reported head injuries in the National Football League.  Concussions are added to the list each week from multiple sources to give you the reader a picture of what is happening on the field.  Each week we will bring you the list of players along with relevant statistics.  If we have missed a concussion or put one on here erroneously, let us know.

Last week there was a down-turn in concussion/head injury numbers, however that was not the rule, as Week 13 brought more than average numbers, 11.  The total reported concussions/head injuries since training camp opened is now 126, 118 of them from the regular season.  Both Miami and San Diego scratched the concussion column last week leaving only Tamp Bay and Buffalo with no reported regular season listings.  On those lines we have a new leader in the team reports, Carolina.  You will see on the listing that both Austin Collie and Will James were added in Week 13, they had been listed previously, however they were reported to have sustained another head injury.  Here are the stats;

UPDATE: Thanks to a follower for cluing me in on the Chad Clifton concussion…  He is listed but it is listed at “knees”…  So how many other teams and players have used another injury to supersede a concussion?  Joseph Addai?  The stats have not changed to reflect this addition, it will make next week’s report.

Regular Season

  • 118 Concussion/Head/Headache/Migraine Listings
  • 9.1 Concussions/Week (8.9 W13)
  • .60 Concussions/Game (.50 W13)
  • 154 Projected Concussions (152 W13)
  • 14.61% Incidence Rate (14.35% W13)
  • 9.10% Epidemiological Incidence (8.94% W13)
  • Team Break Down
    • 9 – Carolina
    • 8 – St. Louis
    • 7 – Philadelphia, Oakland, Cleveland, Pittsburgh Continue reading →

NFL Concussion Report Week 13

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The Concussion Blog Original, NFL Concussion Report is a weekly compiling of the reported head injuries in the National Football League.  Concussions are added to the list each week from multiple sources to give you the reader a picture of what is happening on the field.  Each week we will bring you the list of players along with relevant statistics.  If we have missed a concussion or put one on here erroneously, let us know.

Since training camp has opened there have been 115 total reported concussions. There were eight concussions reported prior to the regular season.  The regular season total is now 107, as Week 12 produced one of the lowest amounts of concussions this season.  New this week is the team breakdown, interestingly enough there are four teams that have yet to report a concussion.  I wonder if they are doing something different, in terms of equipment or preventative measures?  The following are regular season stats.

  • Incidence Rate = 14.35% (14.63% W12)
  • Epidemiological Incidence = 8.94% (9.11% W12)
  • Concussions per week = 8.9 (9.0 W12)
  • Concussions per game = .50 (.60 W12)
  • Projected Concussions = 152 (154 W12)

The following stats are for all 115 concussion;

  • Offensive Concussions = 56
  • Defensive Concussions = 59
  • QB = 8, RB = 10, TE = 12, WR = 18, OL = 8
  • DL = 12, LB = 14, DB = 33
  • By Team;
    • 8 – CAR & STL
    • 7 – PHI & OAK
    • 6 – PIT & CLE
    • 5 – BAL, DET, NO, SEA & WAS
    • 4 – ARI, JAX, KC & NYG
    • 3 – CHI, CIN, DAL, DEN, GB, IND & MIN
    • 2 – ATL, NE, NYJ, SF & TEN
    • 1 – HOU
    • 0 – BUF, MIA, SD & TB

Click on the rest of the story for the entire list… Continue reading →

Executive Function

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Research is beginning to suggest that chronic exposure and delayed recovery from TBI (concussions) is directly effecting executive functioning of the brain. This past August, the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology published an abstract on an experiment from Finland.

Hartikainen, Waljas, et al performed executive reaction time testing, standard neuropsych tests and diffusion tensor imaging on their subjects and found that there were significant differences in scores between those that still had symptoms and those that have fully recovered. The issue and problem that presented itself is that the scores indicated trouble in executive functioning of the “still-injured” brain as opposed to the recovered.(1)

MindDisorders.com defines Executive Function as;

The term executive function describes a set of cognitive abilities that control and regulate other abilities and behaviors. Executive functions are necessary for goal-directed behavior. They include the ability to initiate and stop actions, to monitor and change behavior as needed, and to plan future behavior when faced with novel tasks and situations. Executive functions allow us to anticipate outcomes and adapt to changing situations. The ability to form concepts and think abstractly are often considered components of executive function.

These are high level abilities that influence the most basic things like attention, memory and motor functions. Along with the basics the executive functions of the brain allow each of us to adapt and perform in real life situations. Permanent or temporary deficits to the executive functioning of the brain are associated with; obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, ADD/ADHD, Tourette’s Syndrome, schizophrenia, and autism.

There has been suspicion about how concussion symptoms specifically affect the brain, this could be our first hard evidence of the executive function angle. As with previous studies, actually quantifying executive function is difficult, more research is needed and welcomed.

(1) – PubMed

NFL Concussion Report Week 12

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As unpredictable as the games have been in the NFL, what is becoming a trend is the amount of concussions. The nation took notice in week six after some big hits, and the league responded with more emphasis on the rules, including increases in the fines. Since then, there have been 48 concussions, leading up to that there were 45. A quick snapshot would tell you that rule enforcement is not helping.

Along the time we have been reporting this information, how we disseminate it has been tweaked, giving you the reader the most accurate picture of what is going on in this sport in terms of concussions. While analyzing the info, we have made slight changes to the player chart (put the week the injury was sustained), and with the numbers (reevaluated the preseason injuries).

Since training camp has opened there have been 108 total reported concussions. There were eight concussions reported prior to the regular season, and 7 more that MAY have occurred before the regular season, but were not reported until week one. For reporting purposes of regular season the total is now 100 (DJ Williams of the Denver Broncos get the distinction of the 100th). The following are regular season stats.

  • Incidence Rate = 14.63%
  • Epidemiological Incidence = 9.11%
  • Concussions per week = 9.0
  • Concussions per game = .60
  • Projected Concussions = 154

The following stats are for all 108 concussion;

  • Offensive Concussions = 52
  • Defensive Concussions = 58
  • QB = 8, RB = 9, TE = 11, WR = 17, OL = 7
  • DL = 12, LB = 12, DB = 32

Click on the rest of the story for the entire list…
Continue reading →

NFL Concussion Report Through Week 10

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After some tweaking of information gathering, I am making some changes to the Concussion Reports.  There will no longer be a listing on Saturday of the concussion list and their status for the games.  Rather, I will be putting all the information in the Concussion Report to appear on Fridays.  By making this change I feel that I will have a more comprehensive list.  The change was made in response to my feelings that some concussions are being missed by the NFL Official Injury Report, and that the reporters of the NFL are doing a great job of finding information.  Players are not listed on this list unless there are corroborated reports of concussion.  Now for the information…

  • Since Training Camp has opened there have been 96 concussions
    • 48 concussions on offense, 48 on defense
      • By Position; QB (8), RB (8), TE (10), WR (16), OL (6), DL (9), LB (11), DB (28)
      • The exterior players (WR/DB) make up 45.8% of concussions
      • Interior players (OL/DL) make up 15.6% of concussions
  • 7 players (Maurice Leggett, Jay Thomas, Freddy Keiaho, Mike Furrey, Hunter Hillenmyer, Darcy Johnson and Ben Hamilton) have been placed on Injured Reserve due to concussion
  • There have been 88 concussions during the regular season
    • Average of 8.8 concussions/week
    • Average of .58 concussions/game
    • 150 projected concussions at seasons end
    • Incidence Rate (# concussions/average players in NFL/week) is 14.17%
    • Epidemiological Incidence (# concussions/all players a.k.a. 53 man roster) is 8.82%
    • Clinical Incidence (# concussions/play) or chance of sustaining a concussion on any given play is 2.5%

Looking at the stats through Week 10 there are some glaring indications that some small changes could make an impact.

  1. Develop a position specific helmet.
  2. The higher the impact force (speed) the greater chance of a concussion, address rules.
  3. Investigate the impact the interior players are getting on a daily basis (sub-concussive forces) and the cumulative effects.

That is all I have for now but you can click on the continuation of this story for the full list. Continue reading →

Week 10 NFL Concussion Report

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This is the list of players that have been listed with concussion, head or migraines and are probable;

  • Mewelde Moore, RB, PIT
  • Isaac Redmond, RB, PIT
  • Mike Adams, DB, CLE
  • DJ Moore, DB, CHI

This is the list of players that have been listed with concussion, head or migraines and are questionable;

  • Max Jean-Giles, OL, PHI

This is the list of players that have been listed with concussion, head or migraines and are doubtful/out;

  • Austin Collie, WR, IND
  • Asher Allen, DB, MIN
  • Greg Hardy, DL, CAR
  • Johnathan Stewart, RB, CAR

 

The Official The Concussion Blog Concussion List for the season can be found HERE

Post Week 9 Concussion Stats

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Courtesy of hb9252 via Flickr

Please excuse the two posts, as my computer decided it was a good time to die.  Recovering files and spending money gave me a severe headache, however I can now bring you the stats up-to-the-minute.

Last week was the most reported concussions thus far, and if you include the Oakland Raiders report of Tyvon Branch, the total was 11 reported concussions from Week 9, surpassing Week 6’s seven reported.  There still remains some questions as to whether Zack Follett and Joseph Addai sustained concussions during Week 6 as well, so take these numbers for what they are worth; as accurate as the media and reports allow us to be with them.

74 concussions during regular season action.

  • .55 Concussions/game
  • 8.22 Concussions/week (up from 7.66)
  • 140 Projected concussions
  • Current Epidemiological Rate (Total Concussions/Total Active Players) – 8.24%
  • Current Incidence Rate (Total Concussions/Average Players Playing per team) – 13.24%
  • Current Chance to sustain a concussion on a given play – 2.34%

Below you can see the Official Concussion Blog List; Continue reading →

82 – Concussion Tally Through Week 9

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These players have been listed this week on the Official Injury Report by the NFL.  I will add them to the master list, as my previous computer has crashed and I am resolving that issue as we speak.  However there were 10 reported concussions this week;

  • Mike Adams, DB, CLE
  • Austin Collie, WR, IND
  • Asher Allen, DB, MIN
  • DJ Moore, DB, CHI
  • Greg Hardy, DL, CAR
  • Johnathan Stewart, RB, CAR
  • Will Allen, DB, PIT
  • Mewelde Moore, RB, PIT
  • Isaac Redmond, RB, PIT
  • Max Jean-Giles, OL, PHI

This brings the total to 82 concussions, 74 of which were in the 9 weeks of the regular season.  You might notice that from last week to this week there were a mysterious three concussions added.  I did some searching and found two were players that had been moved to IR before the listing on the injury report, and one was on a team going into a bye.  More stats to follow.

69 – Concussion Tally Through Week 8

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Only three new additions to the injury list for Week 9 (Steelers and Bengals have not reported yet, will add if information becomes available).

Sicko Scott TE DAL -1
Murphy Louis WR OAK -1
Curry Aaron LB SEA -1
Clayton Mark WR BAL 0
Grant Ryan RB GB 0
Bing Darnell LB HOU 0
Addai Joseph RB IND 0
Ware DJ RB NYG 0
Ghee Brandon DB CIN 1
Sorensen Nick DB CLE 1
Lacey Jacob DB IND 1
Keiaho Freddy LB JAX 1
Thomas Jay DB OAK 1
Furrey Mike WR WAS 1
Moore Matt QB CAR 2
Martin Charly WR CAR 2
Hillenmyer Hunter LB CHI 2
Ware DeMarcus DL DAL 2
Boss Kevin TE NYG 2
Bradley Stewart LB PHI 2
Kolb Kevin QB PHI 2
Ryan Clifton DL STL 2
Davis Will LB ARI 3
Mitchel Carlton WR CLE 3
Witten Jason TE DAL 3
Follett Zack LB DET 3
Gay Randall DB NO 3
Moore Evan TE NYG 3
Dahl Craig DB STL 3
Bryant Anthony DL WAS 3
Redding Corey DL BAL 4
Trusnik Jason LB CLE 4
Manningham Mario WR NYG 4
Ryan Clifton DL STL 4
Martin Sherrod DB CAR 5
Cutler Jay QB CHI 5
Shipley Jordan WR CIN 5
Scheffler Tony TE DET 5
Cooper Riley DB PHI 5
Samuel Asante DB PHI 5
Thomas Demaryius WR DEN 6
Johnson Landon LB DET 6
Rodgers Aaron QB GB 6
Gay Randall DB NO 6
Bell Jacob OL STL 6
Macintosh Rocky LB WAS 6
Robinson Dunta DB ATL 7
Cribbs Josh WR CLE 7
Massaquoi Mohamed WR CLE 7
Garrard David QB JAX 7
Abdullah Husain DB MIN 7
Edelman Julian WR NE 7
Brandon Myers TE OAK 7
Jackson DeSean WR PHI 7
Cooper Riley WR PHI 7
Ryan Clifton DL STL 7
Cooley Chris TE WAS 7
Cox Perrish DB DEN 8
Fluellen Andre DL DET 8
Hall Max QB ARI 8
Thurmond Walter DB SEA 8
Johnson Chris DB OAK 8
Satele Samson OL OAK 8
Shaughnessy Matt DL OAK 8
Smith Jason OL CAR 8
Pitta Dennis TE BAL 9
Ivory Chris RB NO 9
Hasselbeck Matt QB SEA 9

-1=Training Camp, 0=Preseason

Rodney Pool, DB, NYJ was added to the injury report…

Not appearing on the official list are Joseph Addai with “neck” and Ben Hamilton who was reported to have sustained a concussion in the media.  Also, on the official list but not on this one because they are not new injuries are Dunta Robinson and DeSean Jackson.  The number is now 69 – a good drop in the numbers.

  • Concussions per week = 7.66
  • Projected Concussions = 130
  • Current Rate = 7.67%

NFL Concussion Report Week 8

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

These players are listed to have; concussion, head or migraine injuries and are probable;

  • David Garrard, QB, JAX
  • Andre Fluellen, DL, DET
  • Husain Abdullah, DB, MIN
  • Max Hall, QB, ARI

These players are listed to have; concussion, head or migraine injuries and are questionable;

  • Jason Smith, OL, CAR^
  • Walter Thurmond, DB, SEA
  • Samson Satele, OL, OAK
  • Matt Shaughnessy, DL, OAK
  • Chris Johnson, DB, OAK
  • Joseph Addai, RB, IND**

These players are listed to have; concussion, head or migraine injuries and are doubtful or out;

  • Perrish Cox, DB, DEN
  • Zack Follett, LB, DET*

*Follett listed as “neck” but was exhibiting head trauma signs along with the neck pathology.

** Addai listed as “neck” but was exhibiting head trauma signs along with the neck pathology.

^ New listing making the number 65

NFL Concussion Report Week 7

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These players are listed to have concussion, head, or migraines and will be probable for week 7 games;

  • Josh Cribbs, WR, CLE
  • Riley Cooper, WR, PHI

 

These players are listed to have concussion, head, or migraines and will be questionable, doubtful or out for week 7 games;

  • Dunta Robinson, CB, ATL
  • David Garrard, QB, JAX
  • Mohamed Massaquoi, WR, CLE
  • Rocky McIntosh, LB, WAS
  • Chris Cooley, TE, WAS
  • Clifton Ryan, DT, STL
  • DeSean Jackson, WR, PHI
  • Julian Edelman, WR, NE
  • Brandon Myers, TE, OAK
  • Husain Abdullah, S, MIN

These are taken directly from NFL.com/injuries.

57

Dustin Fink10 Comments

The week 7 injury reports have been released (except for NYG and DAL, MNF).  And the total number of injuries listed as concussion, head, or migraines is 57 (with pre-season news reports).

Last

 First Position Team Week
1 Curry Aaron LB SEA -1
2 Murphy Louis WR OAK -1
3 Sicko Scott TE DAL -1
4 Grant Ryan RB GB 0
5 Addai Joseph RB IND 0
6 Clayton Mark WR BAL 0
7 Ware DJ RB NYG 0
8 Bing Darnell LB HOU 0
9 Thomas Jay CB OAK 1
10 Ghee Brandon CB CIN 1
11 Lacey Jacob CB IND 1
12 Keiaho Freddy LB JAX 1
13 Sorensen Nick S CLE 1
14 Furrey Mike WR WAS 1
15 Ware DeMarcus DE DAL 2
16 Ryan Clifton DT STL 2
17 Bradley Stewart LB PHI 2
18 Hillenmyer Hunter LB CHI 2
19 Moore Matt QB CAR 2
20 Kolb Kevin QB PHI 2
21 Boss Kevin TE NYG 2
22 Martin Charly WR CAR 2
23 Gay Randall CB NO 3
24 Bryant Anthony DT WAS 3
25 Follett Zack LB DET 3
26 Davis Will LB ARI 3
27 Dahl Craig S STL 3
28 Moore Evan TE NYG 3
29 Witten Jason TE DAL 3
30 Mitchel Carlton WR CLE 3
31 Redding Corey DE BAL 4
32 Ryan Clifton DT STL 4
33 Trusnik Jason LB CLE 4
34 Manningham Mario WR NYG 4
35 Cooper Riley CB PHI 5
36 Samuel Asante CB PHI 5
37 Cutler Jay QB CHI 5
38 Martin Sherrod S CAR 5
39 Scheffler Tony TE DET 5
40 Shipley Jordan WR CIN 5
41 Gay Randall CB NO 6
42 Johnson Landon LB DET 6
43 Macintosh Rocky LB WAS 6
44 Bell Jacob OL STL 6
45 Rodgers Aaron QB GB 6
46 Thomas Demaryius WR DEN 6
47 Robinson Dunta CB ATL 7
48 Garrard David QB JAX 7
49 Cribbs Josh WR CLE 7
50 Massaquoi Mohamed WR CLE 7
51 Cooley Chris

TE

 WAS 7
52 Ryan Clifton DT STL 7
53 Jackson DeSean WR PHI 7
54 Cooper Riley WR PHI 7
55 Edelman Julian WR NE 7
56 Brandon Myers TE OAK 7
57 Abdullah Husain S MIN 7

-1 = Training Camp, 0 = Preseason

Some notes; 90 regular season games and 49 listed head injuries…  .5444 concussions/game, or just over 1 concussion every 2 games…  8.167 concussions per week…  At current concussion/week rate there would be 139 concussions in the year…   The concussion rate for NFL players would be 8.2%…  That concussion rate is lower than all other levels of football…  Players listed multiple times were removed from the injury list for at least one week then reappeared (Clifton Ryan)…  Teams on byes do not have to list concussions (Detroit & Indy amongst others this week)…  Concussions by position; WR-13, DB-12, LB-10, TE-7, QB-5, RB-3, OL-1…  Top 3 teams with listed head injuries PHI-6, CLE-5, NYG-4…  Teams without concussions; BUF, KC, MIA, NYJ, PIT, SD, SF, TEN, TB…

All regular season injuries were posted at NFL.com on their Injury LINK…

FEEL FREE TO COMMENT…

Coming Soon!!!

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

*An up-to-date concussion list from the NFL with new numbers.  Thanks to Deadspin.com and their friends at AutoAdmit Discussion board I was able to compile a comprehensive list of concussions from training camp through week 6.  The Week 7 official injury list has not been made available as of yet, but when it does I will have the fresh list for you.^

*Note: During training camp and pre-season teams did not have to officially list concussions, those players are listed because of wire stories.

^Skepticism: Possibly teams will not list players with a concussion, even though they sustained one or more symptoms of a disruptive head trauma (i.e., in Week 6, and this weeks injury report, we may not see; Addai (shoulder), Heap (stinger), or Follett (neck)) as “official concussions” and wont be counted on this list.

NFL Concussion Tally Through Week 6/7

Dustin Fink1 Comment

Well yesterday we had a barrage of head injuries and quite a few made the “National Spotlight” with the questionable helmet-to-helmet/weapon like usage leading to the injuries.

The awareness is GREAT, do rules need to change, not up to me, but they do need to enforce the rules already in place.  And when extenuating circumstances arise its needs to be punished.

If you have followed this blog since the inception you will know I keep track of the official NFL injury reports at the end of the work week when they have to be known.  Focusing on those injuries listed as “head”, “concussion”, or “migraine” I have a total number of concussions.

That number, through 6 weeks, is 40.  There was not a player listed on two separate occasions (yet).  Some have had their season ended already by concussions/head injuries.

If you add in the 10, yes 10, concussions yesterday (not all “said” to be concussions) that total is 50 in 7 weeks.  There may be more that come up, either on MNF, or disclosure later in the week.

A quick side note, the Todd Heap and Joseph Addai injuries smell of “a hockey cover up”.  Heap took a shot to the head but was listed as “stinger” and returned.  Addai took a shot to the head as well, via shoulder, and was obviously “not there”, but they listed his injury as “shoulder”.  The NFL needs to make sure all concussions are reported, correctly.

So there you go, I have the count at 50, problem, yes.

NFL Concussion Report Week 6

Dustin FinkLeave a comment

This is a weekly post that is tabulated from the official NFL Injury Report.

These players are injured with head or concussion and are probable;

  • Aaron Rodgers, QB, GB
  • Jacob Bell, G, STL
  • Jay Cutler, QB, CHI

These players are injured with head or concussion and are questionable or worse;

  • Landon Johnson, LB, DET
  • Riley Cooper, WR, PHI
  • Randal Gay, CB, NO
  • Demaryius Thomas, WR, DEN
  • Rocky Macintosh, LB, WAS

Here is the game day blog from games during week 6, and the 10 that occured, in my eyes.