NFL exec: Allowing Keenum to play with a concussion was 'a system failure across the board

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RamBill

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NFL exec: Allowing Case Keenum to play with a concussion was 'a system failure across the board'

By Gary Klein

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-rams-case-keenum-20160317-story.html

Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, said Thursday that “there was a system failure across the board” when Rams quarterback Case Keenum was allowed to remain in a game last season after suffering a concussion.

“Everyone had some form of accountability,” Vincent said during a conference call with reporters in advance of next week’s NFL owners meeting in Florida.

In the final minutes of a Week 11 game against the Baltimore Ravens, the back of Keenum’s head hit the ground when he was tackled in the backfield.

Keenum immediately grabbed his head and appeared wobbly as he got up from the turf. A member of the Rams’ training staff came onto the field and spoke briefly to Keenum, but a spotter — an independent certified athletic trainer — did not stop play and Keenum was not examined by a team physician or unaffiliated neurological consultant.

Keenum threw an incomplete pass on the next play, and he was stripped of the ball on the play after that. He was sidelined the next two games because of the head injury.

The Rams were not disciplined for allowing Keenum to stay in the game.

Vincent said Thursday that the NFL is “very confident in our physicians and staffs.” The league is not modifying the system but will “make sure that we are executing on those things and protocols that have been put in place,” he said.

“The Case Keenum [situation] was unfortunate, but we all bear some accountability on that system failure that we cannot allow to happen,” Vincent said.
 

-X-

Medium-sized Lebowski
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The Dude
That is so 4 months ago.
 

Mackeyser

Supernovas are where gold forms; the only place.
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Mack
I call BS on the NFL. When the damn broadcast crew can run replays REPEATEDLY showing his head hitting the turf...HARD like it did and him being wobbly, there is NO EXCUSE for the NFL.

Does no one monitor the broadcast?

I can at least understand a bit based on what Fisher said. The trainer went out and was ushered off the field by the official. And when you're at ground level, it's entirely possible to NOT see a player hit his head. But, dammit, there's NO EXCUSE for the spotter or someone at the NFL HQ to miss it.

Just like there's no excuse for not having full-time refs... but, now I'm gonna start my deep breathing exercises or I'll just give myself another big headache...
 

Debacled

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Jun 19, 2014
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Don't understand why this is such a bigger deal than what we saw with the Dennis Wideman incident in the NHL.

Dude decked a linesman, played the rest of the game after said incident, and gave a post game interview all without anyone raising an eyebrow to him having a concussion diagnosed a couple days after the game.

Double standard between sports?