Jaguars' Trevor Lawrence Enters Concussion Protocol After Loss to Ravens
Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence entered concussion protocol after Sunday night's 23-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens, a potentially crushing situation for the reeling 8-6 Jaguars.
"In Trevor's case, he was evaluated after the game and he'll actually enter the [concussion] protocol," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said.
Pederson said he wasn't 100% sure the play Lawrence got injured on, but he believed it was on a scramble in the minutes of the game.
Lawrence scrambled three times on the Jaguars' final drive, with one scramble ending in a violent hit from Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith.
According to the NFL:
When a player receives an impact to the head, the player goes into the Concussion Protocol if:
- the player exhibits or reports symptoms or signs suggestive of a concussion or stinger (a nerve pinch injury); or,
- the team Athletic Trainer, booth ATC spotter, team Physician, NFL game official, coach, teammate, sideline Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant (UNC) or booth UNC initiates the protocol.
"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. This process, developed from internationally accepted guidelines, ensures that each player receives consistent treatment," per the NFL.
"Each player and each concussion is unique, and there is no set time-frame for return to participation. Team medical staff consider the player's current concussive injury, as well as past exposures and medical history, family history and future risk in managing a player's care. After a player has progressed through the five-step process, and is cleared for full participation by his club physician, he must be seen and separately cleared by an Independent Neurological Consultant (INC), jointly approved by the NFL and NFLPA, who is not affiliated with any NFL club. Until cleared by this independent physician, a player may not return to contact practice or play in an NFL game."
Lawrence has never missed a start in his career to this point, battling through a Week 6 knee injury and a Week 13 ankle injury this year alone.
With Sunday's loss, the Jaguars are now tied at the top of the AFC South with the 8-6 Indianapolis Colts and 8-6 Houston Texans, though they own tiebreakers over both.
The Jaguars will travel to Tampa Bay to play the Buccaneers on Christmas Eve next week, and Lawrence's status will clearly be the top question entering the week.
