Concussions increased 18% in the NFL during the 2022 regular season over last year.
The NFL reported that 149 concussions were diagnosed in 271 regular-season games compared to 126 in 2021. The total is also 14% higher than the three-year average from 2018 to 2020.
Dr. Allen Sills, the league’s chief medical officer, said the increase stems from a protocol change that «expanded and strengthened» the definition of concussion following injuries sustained by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. , in a period of four days.
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Tagovailoa suffered a lower back injury that left him reeling in Week 3. The Dolphins played Week 4 on «Thursday Night Football» and he suffered a concussion that sent him to a hospital.
“We continue to be more cautious and conservative in our evaluation and diagnosis of concussions,” Sills said, via ESPN. «That’s not just an opinion. It’s supported by the data.»
Independent observers and officers in the field conducted almost twice as many medical evaluations this year than last year.
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The NFL saw its lowest number of training camp concussions in eight years at just 25. Players wore extra protective helmets during summer practices.