Brain Injury and Sports: How the NFL Has Changed When it Comes to TBI and Concussion Protocol

February 15, 2024

After the exciting 2024 Super Bowl game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs, another American football season has come to an end. But one thing that remains a topic of discussion year-round is how extremely physical sports can impact athletes many years after they’re off the field for good. Discussing brain injury and sports can be tricky, and everyone has an opinion about the safety of football when it comes to traumatic brain injuries and concussions, among other injuries. 

The truth is, the NFL has made great strides in recent years to better protect its players. Indeed, the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee, a board of independent and NFL-affiliated physicians and scientists, developed the NFL Game Day Concussion Diagnosis and Management Protocol in 2011, and it is reviewed every year. But TBI and other injuries remain a worry when it comes to all athletes – and not everyone has advocates on their side to fight for them if they do suffer a TBI sometime in their life. 

Brain Injury and Sports: One Former NFL Player Speaks Out

As the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports, “A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can be caused by a forceful bump, blow, or jolt to the head or body, or from an object that pierces the skull and enters the brain,” adding, “Not all blows or jolts to the head result in a TBI.”

“Some types of TBI can cause temporary or short-term problems with normal brain function, including problems with how the person thinks, understands, moves, communicates, and acts,” the NIH notes. “More serious TBI can lead to severe and permanent disability, and even death.”

The NIH also reports that Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a progressive neurological disorder, can occur “in those with extraordinary exposure to multiple blows to the head and as a delayed consequence after many years…Recent studies have demonstrated rare cases of CTE in other sports with repetitive mild head impacts (e.g., soccer, wrestling, football, and rugby).”

This sort of catastrophic injury is a concern for anyone playing incredibly physical sports, and when it comes to the NFL, it’s an issue that’s taken very seriously. 

Juan Roque, the Intake Manager and Referral Coordinator at Phillips Law Group, is a former All-American college football player at Arizona State University and was previously a professional player with the NFL’s Detroit Lions. When asked about his insight into how the NFL handles TBI and concussions, he said, “The NFL has stepped up its protection for players in recent years and it’s showing because every year less players are in Concussion Protocols.”

“To win the game it requires preparation, skill, and the ability to outperform your opponent,” he added. “In this of course injuries can happen and sadly there were many players who in the past suffered from severe head trauma which was dismissed as ‘getting your bell rung,’ but rarely led to medical intervention.”

‘A Vast Improvement from Days of Old’

“I myself was diagnosed with Post Concussion Syndrome in 2012 yet in all my years playing football I was never diagnosed with a concussion,” Juan revealed. “I remember a few big hits where my ‘bell’ was ‘rung’ but you kept playing.”

“Now, that’s not the case,” he added. “If a player is seen by medical staff as taking a violent hit he is immediately approached on the sidelines and tested. If there is even a smidge of possibility the player has a head injury he is immediately pulled from the game. That is a vast improvement from days of old.”

In fact, according to the NFL Concussion Protocol & Return-to-Participation Protocol: Overview guide, when a player receives an impact to the head and goes into the Concussion Protocol, they are immediately removed to the sideline or stabilized on the field to undergo a concussion assessment. 

In addition, “Every NFL player diagnosed with a concussion must follow a five-step process before being cleared to fully practice or participate in an NFL game.”

Improving the Rate of Brain Injury and Sports

“While head injuries will never be fully eliminated from football, the attention and commitment to quickly recognize and diagnose a head injury during games and practices protects players from reinjuring themselves, which then does lead to long-term brain damage,” Juan said. 

The changes made to improve brain injuries resulting from playing a sport like football and getting hurt reflect society’s improved understanding of these injuries and how they can impact athletes in the long run. Indeed, the Boston University CTE Center announced in February 2023 that they had diagnosed 345 former NFL players with CTE out of 376 former players studied (91.7 percent). 

But Ann McKee, MD, director of the BU CTE Center and chief of neuropathology at VA Boston Healthcare System, noted, “While the most tragic outcomes in individuals with CTE grab headlines, we want to remind people at risk for CTE that those experiences are in the minority.”

“Your symptoms, whether or not they are related to CTE, likely can be treated, and you should seek medical care. Our clinical team has had success treating former football players with mid-life mental health and other symptoms.”

Getting Help for TBI and Other Brain Disorders

Although professional athletes being diagnosed with neurological issues may be the most sensationalized and make the news the most often, traumatic brain injury can happen to anyone and result from amateur sports injuries, car accidents, and other instances leading to brain dysfunction due to an outside force. 

A traumatic brain injury from something like a car accident can be life-altering and may cause permanent disability and significant hardship for the victim and his or her loved ones. If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury caused by another’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation and Phillips Law Group may be able to help. 

If you or a loved one is suffering from TBI, contact our firm today to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. A member of our team can review your claim and determine your legal options. Please don’t hesitate – call today to get help now.