Bucs’ Cameron Brate gives a thumbs up as he’s wheeled off with ANOTHER head injury – a week after missing a game with concussion – while Greg Little of the Dolphins is left unchecked despite looking groggy after a knee to the head
- Greg Little took a heavy hit while playing for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday
- The 24-year-old looked like he got a knee to the head as a play broke down
- He took a moment before getting back to his feet but had no concussion check
- Bucs’ Cameron Brate was carted off after a concussion ruled him out last week
- He was taken to Pittsburgh hospital but was released after being evaluated
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Another week in the NFL and another concussion scare for at least two players – and more questions for teams to answer in how players are protected.
First, Greg Little of the Dolphins took a hit in the game against the Minnesota Vikings and then tight end Cameron Brate of the Bucs went off on a stretcher after missing last week’s game with a concussion.
Brate was in a neck brace after receiving lengthy treatment on the field. But promisingly, he was spotted giving a thumbs up as he was wheeled off.
He missed week five after getting concussed when the Bucs lost to the Chiefs in week four.
Tampa Bay said on Twitter: ‘Cameron Brate has been ruled out for the remainder of the game. Brate has movement in all of his extremities and continues to be evaluated further.’
He was taken to Pittsburgh hospital but was released after being evaluated on Sunday evening.
In the Dolphins game, Little appeared to take a knee to the head as a passage of play broke down and he looked hurt, lying on his front for a short while longer than the players around him.
When the 24-year-old eventually slowly got up, he looked like he was still feeling the impact.
Cameron Brate was hurt on his return to the Bucs team, after missing a game with a concussion
The 31-year-old was wheeled off the field in concerning scenes in the NFL on Sunday
Greg Little (left) stayed down and looked hurt when he appeared to get a knee in the head
He shook his head twice and was breathing heavily, yet still was allowed to play on without being checked over.
It prompted Chris Nowinski, a concussion specialist who has frequently been critical of the NFL concussion protocol, to take to Twitter, sharing the footage and writing: ‘Watch Dolphins LT #75 Greg Little take a knee to the head, stay down, get up looking woozy, do the “shake off the cobwebs” TWICE, yet finish the drive.
‘The FOX cameraman & producer held on to him way too long to try to help the #concussion spotter. How do you not evaluate him @NFL?’
Charles Robinson, Yahoo’s NFL reporter, also wondered how Little wasn’t checked. He said on Twitter: ‘Seems like #Dolphins tackle Greg Little (75) took a knee in the head and was shaking his head afterwards.
‘Not sure how a guy laying there and then shaking his head isn’t caught by a spotter after Bridgewater was pulled for a lot less.’
Little got back to his feet slowly and shook his head but was not checked for a concussion
The Dolphins have, in recent weeks, lost two quarterbacks to concussions.
Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater have cleared concussion protocols after recent incidents.
The handling of the Tagovailoa case particularly drew in scrutiny, as he appeared to be hurt and unsteady on his feet in a previous game, but deemed OK to play on.
Tagovailoa has been given time to recover properly and missed this weekend’s game against the Vikings, but Bridgewater played.
Tagovailoa could return on October 23 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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