Jalen Hurts is Running More and Could be Impacted by New Concussion Protocol
PHILADELPHIA – Jalen Hurts prides himself on popping right up after being knocked hard to the ground. The Eagles quarterback doesn’t want to give the opponent the satisfaction of thinking they stung him.
He better hope he can keep doing that, especially with the NFL's new concussion protocols in what is probably an overreaction to the Tua Tagovailoa situation.
Those new protocols may have cost the Miami Dolphins Teddy Bridgewater for all but one play in their loss last week to the Jets.
Hurts has been running a lot lately, he is on pace for more than 200 carries after having 139 of them in 14 games last year, and should he "wobble" when he gets up, perhaps he gets flagged and the Eagles lose him for a game.
Or it could happen in the pocket, too, like it did Bridgewater.
What if Hurts doesn’t spring right back to his feet after a hit?
It doesn't even have to be a wobble. He could take a step in the wrong direction or even just walk slowly back to the huddle.
The NFL is now hypersensitive to the concussion issue after what took place with Tua Tagovailoa.
Player safety is absolutely paramount, but this new protocol is an overreaction to what happened to Tua and it's now being referred to as the "Tua Rule."
The league changed its language after the Dolphins quarterback seemed to suffer a concussion on Sept. 25 against the Bills but was cleared in-game to return.
Four days later, in a Thursday night game, he took another sack where his head was bounced off the grass by Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou.
Tagovailoa lay on his back with his hands and fingers locked up in front of his face in what was a gruesome sight.
It was called a “fencing posture.”
As a result, the NFL added another level to its concussion protocols, using a term called “ataxia.”
The league’s concussion protocol definition is: “Abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue.”
The protocol goes on to state, “if a player is diagnosed with ataxia by any club or neutral physician involved in the application of the Concussion Protocol, he will be prohibited from returning to the game, and will receive the follow-up care required by the Protocol.”
Look what happened to Bridgewater on Sunday.
He took a hit to the ribs from the Jets’ Sauce Gardner on the first play of the game and was slow to get up. When he did, he walked slowly, gingerly, shaking his hand back and forth rapidly.
Bridgewater got flagged by the NFL spotter on site to be tested for a concussion. Every game has a spotter who is a medically trained professional.
The Miami QB was ruled out of the game because he was being evaluated for a head injury.
A day later, reports out of South Florida indicated that Bridgewater was exhibiting no signs of a concussion but had to stay in the league’s protocol because of the revised concussion protocols.
Could something like what happened with Bridgewater happen to Hurts?
It absolutely could, and it could cost the Eagles their QB for the remainder of whatever game it could potentially happen in.
Gardner Minshew needs to be ready.
Asked by SI Eagles Today if there was any concern about Hurts possibly getting flagged for a concussion, especially with all the running he does, Eagles offensive coordinator Shane Steichen said he’d rather not comment.
“I know the NFL, that's their protocol right now,” he said. “I'll leave it at that.”
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
