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The National Football League (NFL) and its players' association have agreed to enhanced concussion protocols after a head injury suffered by Miami Dolphins ...

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The NFL Players Association fired the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who evaluated Tua Tagovailoa after he stumbled off the field against Buffalo.

[NFL Players Association urged the league](https://apnews.com/article/miami-dolphins-nfl-health-sports-climate-and-environment-b8a16a8ae5c04f1f0c09b7b275d07cd6) to implement changes in time to protect players in this weekend's games. But we're also prepared to make a change or two in the protocols because we think we can actually add another element that would make it even safer." [Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate' was also injured](https://apnews.com/article/cincinnati-bengals-buffalo-bills-tampa-bay-buccaneers-kansas-city-chiefs-nfl-89346b25735cc15d44367d9a2d240672) last Sunday when he [collided with a teammate](https://twitter.com/InsideInjuries/status/1577011508692717568?s=20&t=Gf5tNm_Kd7RaGndFLXa1Xw) near the end of the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs and was initially allowed to re-enter the game. Earlier this week, the NFL Players Association fired the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who evaluated Tagovailoa after he stumbled off the field against Buffalo on Sept. "We understand some of that chatter, but the reality is the protocols are really important. The league did not elaborate on what the potential protocol changes are or when they could come into effect.

The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to modify the league's concussion protocol following a joint investigation into the league's procedures after ...

“The Protocol exists to establish a high standard of concussion care for each player,” the league and union’s statement said, “whereby every medical professional engages in a meaningful and rigorous examination of the player-patent. I take that very serious, and no one else in the building strays from that.” Allen Sills, the NFL’s Chief Medical Officer, said that under the league’s amended protocol, Tagovailoa would have been diagnosed with a concussion on Sept. The median time out with a concussion is nine days, he added. Tagovailoa was immediately taken to the locker room and taken through the NFL’s concussion protocol, after which he was cleared of any head injury. It also said the medical staff determined that the gross motor instability was not due to a concussion. Less than a week after the injury, Tagovailoa started against the Cincinnati Bengals in a Thursday night game. 25 under the ataxia term, thus making him ineligible to come back into that game. The others are confusion, amnesia and loss of consciousness. But immediately after he took the hit from Milano, gross motor instability was present. In the first half of the Sept. He appeared disoriented afterward and stumbled as he tried to get to his feet.

The NFL is prepared "to make a change or two” to its concussion protocol, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at a fan forum in London on Saturday.

The quarterback was evaluated for a concussion, but he quickly [returned to the game](https://www.nfl.com/news/dolphins-qb-tua-tagovailoa-bills-head-injury) and the Dolphins said a back injury had caused his wobbly gait. He then sat out the second half with a concussion. [fired the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant](https://www.nfl.com/news/nflpa-terminates-unaffiliated-neurotrauma-consultant-involved-in-tua-tagovailoa-) who evaluated Tagovailoa after he stumbled off the field against Buffalo on Sept. But we're also prepared to make a change or two in the protocols because we think we can actually add another element that would make it even safer." We see no indication that that didn't happen in this case. The league did not elaborate on what the potential protocol changes are or when they could come into effect.