Doctors need more power on NFL sidelines

[turtle28]

It's become evident to me over the past few seasons as concussions have become more of a focal point in the NFL and injuries have spiked because of the violent hits in the game that doctors need more control on the sidelines.

Dr James Andrews was paid to be on the sidelines by Dan Snyder to be the angel on Snyder's rookie franchise qbs shoulders but Dr James Andrews was not allowed to properly do his job. His job didn't seem to be to be the final say on Rg3 playing but to evaluate whatever Mike Shanahan and Robert Griffin III wanted him to evaluate, NOT what the doctor himself thought he should evaluate.

What I mean by this is if RG3 said he was ok and felt ok and coach Shanahan got caught up in the superman hype that was RG3 for 14 of 17 games of the NFL season then Dr James Andrews had nothing to evaluate. Things such as this have to change with the NFL if they want to get serious about player safety. I know us fans don't want to hear it, players don't want to hear it, coaches don't want to hear it and especially owners don't want to hear it- but it's true!

We have to sit back and put doctors thoughts and doctors evaluations more into the NFL during the game! Not just after the fact, after the game but during the game on the sidelines and especially in decision making on whether the players should go back into the game or not. It has become evident to me the final say on for rg3 to play was never really Dr James Andrews, it was Rg3's pleading to the person who made the decision was the coach and person with final say on player personnel decisions Mike Shanahan. Dr James Andrews was on the sidelines, but overuled by somone. I'm refering to at one point after rg3 tweaked his knee on the second drive the game. The training staff took RG3 into a shed behind the bench which Lavar Arrington refered to as a bathroom and Dr Andrews followed them to the door but the door was shut on him. I don't know who said no to him, but one of the three men that went into that shed did. It was either of the two training staff members or RG3.

How much power does one man need? Not only does Shanahan have control over all the coaching decisions and final player acquisition, evaluation and roster building but apparently Mike Shanahan can play doctor and override their thoughts as well.

This isn't just about Mike Shanahan, this goes for every sideline in the NFL. I've seen millions of times when players have been knocked out in the past two years where they went back in the game. The one I vividly remember was when James Harrison laid out Colt McCoy who needed help to get up and get off the field because he had a concussion but his coach and Colt later decided it was ok to go back in the game.

This isn't right. There needs to be independent doctors out there, doctors not associated with the team, not paid for by the owner that have the final say after a player is injured and the independent doctor should determine if a player should or should not go back in the game. I said this after rg3 got the concussion vs the falcons and was allowed to play the following week vs Minnesota. The NFL needs better protocol on this, players need to do a better job protecting themselves, owners, coaches and fans need to be more worried about players long term health and if they can finish a season rather than how quickly the player can get back into the game.
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mike23md
Days until:Days until: OTAs 2; Minicamp 25; Training camp 69; Eagles @ Redskins 115 RIP SSF

[at23steelers]

I know many people don't like ESPN First Take, but this is pretty insightful about the NFL and how hypocritical Goodell really is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Odj3C1MDkV0

[treat88]

Every game should have an independent neurologist available available to both teams that has total say over return to playing status after a suspected concussion.

Both teams should also have dedicated personnel in the booth or with all 22 video to screen for head injuries that players may otherwise not report.

Might's well do something that will actually help strengthen the league's legal position when it comes to future head injury related lawsuits and that may also actually be effective....oh, but wait, Rog might have to spend some actual money to implement these changes...wouldn't want to go and do something rash now would we Rog.
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"Reputation is what other people know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself."

[MightyJoeYoung]

David Simon should have dedicated a season of The Wire to the corruption in the NFL bureaucracy.

A mini series would probably do though...
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Thanks to Joe_is_the_best for the sig

"The King Stay the King"

[Mason Storm]

NFL would get it cancelled
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^ TommyC376 sig n avy^
"You know your a parent when you pay $120 for your kid to watch something live thats on tv for free"