The St. Louis Rams will reportedly not be penalized for the mishandling of Case Keenum's concussion last Sunday, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Keenum is still in the NFL's concussion protocol, and head coach Jeff Fisher has announced that quarterback Nick Foles will start Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, according to NFL reporter Conor Orr.
The NFL opened an investigation after Keenum was not tested for a possible concussion following a loss to the Baltimore Ravens last week. Keenum's head slammed into the turf on the Rams' final drive and immediately held his head following the play. The Rams quarterback had to be helped up after he stayed on the ground for quite some time.
The NFL started a new ruled this season, in which an "ATC spotter" employed at each game can stop the game at any point if they see a player struggling with a potential concussion. The league released a statement this past Monday, saying, "Promptly after the conclusion of yesterday's game, we began a review to determine the facts of the injury to St. Louis quarterback Case Keenum and why he was not removed from the game for the necessary evaluation by a team physician or the unaffiliated neuro-trauma consultant as required by our concussion protocols."
The Rams are currently 4-6 on the season and are still fighting for a chance at the postseason. The NFL will reportedly not penalize the Rams for the mishandling of Keenum's concussion, but the league will likely need to make sure that the hired "ATC spotters" are doing their jobs correctly, as players' safety is a big concern given the information known about concussions today.
