NFL says Panthers properly followed concussion protocol when sending Cam Newton back into Wild Card game after big hit

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January 24, 2018 9:56 PM

After a big hit during the Panthers Wild Card game against the Saints, many thought Cam Newton had a concussion, but the NFL found no wrongdoing in the case.

The NFL has ruled that the Carolina Panthers did not violate the concussion protocol when Cam Newton re-entered a game just a few minutes after sustaining what looked like a jarring hit.
In a statement, the NFL said that the Panthers went through the necessary medical evaluations before returning Newton to the field, and that he was not showing symptoms of a concussion.
After the decision came down, the NFL's chief medical officer called out "armchair doctors at home" who criticized the Panthers initial handling of the situation.

The NFL has concluded that the Carolina Panthers acted in accordance with the league's concussion protocol in their treatment of quarterback Cam Newton in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.

In the fourth quarter of the Panthers playoff game against the New Orleans Saints, Newton took a hard hit that left him dazed on the ground.

Newton was treated on the sidelines momentarily, but was back on the field for the Panthers next drive. At the time, Newton claimed that he was poked in the eye on the play, and was not suffering from any symptoms of a concussion.

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