During last weekend's wild card games, two NFL players violated concussion protocol by remaining on the field after suffering a concussion, the Associated Press reported.
The recent lawsuit against the NFL for their handling of concussions have garnered attention to recent games and concussion protocol violations, according to the AP.
A letter sent by Drs. Hunt Batjer and Richard Ellenbogen of NFL's head, neck and spine committee to team doctors and trainers stated after a player has been diagnosed with a concussion and refuses to follow protocol, the top coach must remove the player from the field and sidelines, the AP reported.
The players in question are Green Bay tackle David Bakhtiari, who went back into the game without being cleared, and Saints cornerback Keenan Lewis, who remained on the sideline after being removed from the game due to the concussion, the AP reported.
Players who are diagnosed with a concussion are required to be moved to a locker room or quiet location, according to NFL's Madden Rule, the AP reported.
"On two occasions last weekend, and contrary to the advice of the team medical staffs, players who had been diagnosed with a concussion and therefore declared ineligible for play nonetheless refused to leave the sidelines as required by league concussion protocols," the letter said, according to the AP. "In one case, the player went back onto the field for one play before being removed from the game."
Afterwards, the doctors said there was "no fault" in both the players and coaches behavior and no fines were given for the violations, the AP reported.
According to the letter sent to all NFL teams, "If a player refuses to follow your advice and leave the sidelines after being diagnosed with a concussion, we recommend that the head athletic trainer seek assistance from the player's position coach (or another member of the coaching staff) or from another team official to remove the player from the sidelines as soon as possible."
Bakhtiari will no longer face issues in regards to playing without being cleared of a concussion due to the lost against San Francisco, but the Saints are playing Saturday and Lewis has been practicing for the game, the AP reported.
Though Batjer and Ellenbogen acknowledge players enthusiasm to remain a part of the game for their team, especially during the postseason, they stated in the letter that the rules are "an important element of the league's protocol and intended to safeguard the player's well-being and enhance his ability to recover from his injury," the AP reported.
