What is the NFL Concussion Protocol?

Now in NFL Concussion Protocol, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will have to clear a five-step checklist before he can return.

During Sunday’s 25-22 win over the New York Jets, New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye left the game early. On Monday morning, head coach Jerod Mayo confirmed Maye is now in the NFL Concussion Protocol.

Concussions are handled differently than other injuries in the NFL. While most injury situations are handled in-house by the team’s medical staff, the NFL itself has a “concussion checklist” that players must pass through before being allowed to return. All decisions during the process have to be confirmed by an Independent Neurological Consultant (INC).

Developed by the NFL Head, Neck, and Spine Committee in 2011, the checklist in a five-phase process (seen below) that eases players into returning. It’s based on the monitoring of systems rather than a day-to-day timeline.

via NFL.com

Under this policy, it’s rare for players to return the week after suffering a concussion. Of course every concussion is different, so there’s no definitive timeline, especially this early in the process.

Here’s a more in-depth look at the five phases Maye will have to clear before he can return to action for the Patriots, via NFL.com…

• Phase One: Symptom Limited Activity

  “The player-patient is prescribed rest, limiting or, if necessary, avoiding activities (both physical and cognitive) which increase or aggravate symptoms. During this Phase, the player-patient may engage in activities of daily living as well as limited stretching and balance activities as tolerated at the discretion of the Club medical staff. Phase 1 may include LIGHT aerobic activity. Should additional medical issues present, the Club physician should consider external consultation or additional diagnostic examinations.

  If the player-patient does not experience an increase in his symptoms and does not develop signs of concussion on neurological examination, he may be cleared to proceed to the next Phase.”

• Phase Two: Aerobic Exercise

  “Phase Two involves the initiation of a graduated exercise program. Under the direct oversight of the Club’s medical staff, the player-patient should begin graduated cardiovascular exercise (e.g., stationary bicycle, treadmill) and may also engage in dynamic stretching and balance training. The duration and intensity of all activity may be gradually increased so long as the player-patient does not increase or aggravate signs or symptoms while performing the activity and for a reasonable period thereafter. If there is any increase or aggravation of signs or symptoms, the activity should be discontinued. He may, however, attend regular team meetings and engage in film study. Once the player-patient has demonstrated his ability to engage in cardiovascular exercise without an increase or aggravation of signs or symptoms, he may proceed to the next Phase.”

• Phase Three: Football Specific Exercise

  “The player-patient continues with supervised cardiovascular exercises that are increased and begin to mimic sport specific activities, as well as supervised strength training. The player-patient is allowed to practice with the team in sport specific exercise for 30 minutes or less, with ongoing and careful symptom monitoring by the medical staff. If neurocognitive testing was not administered after Phase Two, it should be administered during Phase Three. If a player-patient’s initial neurocognitive testing is not interpreted as back to baseline by the NPC (non-physician clinician), the tests will be repeated at a time interval agreed upon by the Club physician and NPC (typically 48 hours). The player-patient should not proceed to contact activities until their neurocognitive testing is interpreted as back to their baseline level by the NPC or, if a decrement is still present, until the Club physician has determined a non-concussion related cause. The determination of when to proceed with contact activities is ultimately made by the Club physician. Once the player-patient has demonstrated his ability to engage in cardiovascular exercise and supervised strength training without an increase or aggravation of signs or symptoms, he may proceed to the next Phase.”

• Phase Four: Club-Based Non-Contact Training Drills

  “The player-patient may continue cardiovascular conditioning, strength and balance training, team-based sport-specific exercise, and participate in non-contact football activities such as throwing, catching, running and other position-specific activities, progressing to participation in non-contact team practice activities. To be clear, all activities at this Phase remain non-contact (i.e., no contact with other players or objects, such as tackling dummies or sleds).

  If the player-patient is able to tolerate all football specific activity without a recurrence of signs or symptoms of concussion and his neurocognitive testing has returned to baseline, he may be moved to the next Phase in the sequence. For clarity; all signs, symptoms, and neurological examination (including neurocognitive testing and balance testing) must return to baseline status before returning to full football activity/clearance. Exceptions to the neurocognitive component may be considered by the Club physician responsible for the diagnosis and treatment of concussion (in consultation with the NPC) on a case-by-case basis in player-patients with documented ADHD or learning disabilities.”

• Phase Five: Full Football Activity/Clearance

  “After the player-patient has established his ability to participate in non-contact football activity 620 including team meetings, conditioning and non-contact practice without recurrence of signs and symptoms and his neurocognitive testing is back to baseline, the Club physician may clear him for full football activity involving contact in practice. If the player-patient tolerates full participation practice and contact without signs or symptoms and the Club physician concludes that the player-patient’s concussion has resolved, s/he may clear the player-patient to return to participation. For the avoidance of doubt, if a player-patient cannot participate in practice or full contact with other players due to the time of year and/or rules imposed by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, simulated contact activity will suffice to satisfy this Phase. Upon clearance by the Club physician, the player-patient must be examined by the INC assigned to his Club. The INC must be provided a copy of all relevant reports and tests, including the sideline and booth UNC reports, the Booth ATC Spotter report and team injury reports, and have access to video of the injury, where applicable, and the player-patient’s neurocognitive test results and interpretations. If the INC confirms the Club physician’s conclusion that the player-patient’s concussion has resolved, the player-patient is considered cleared and may participate in his Club’s next game or practice.”