Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate taken off field on stretcher

PITTSBURGH — Buccaneers tight end Cameron Brate was carted off the field on a stretcher after a helmet-to-helmet hit in the third quarter of Tampa Bay's 20-18 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in a very scary scene at Acrisure Stadium on Sunday.

Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles said after the game that Brate has a neck injury and was being evaluated at a hospital.

Brate, who was in his first game back after suffering a concussion two weeks ago against the Kansas City Chiefs, collided with Steelers linebacker Myles Jack, with Jack hitting the top of Brate's helmet.

Brate was attended to first by the Bucs' training staff, and then additional medical personnel hurried onto the field. Play was stopped for 8 minutes as benches cleared for both teams to gather around Brate.

Brate is currently being evaluated, but the team said he is able to move all of his extremities, and he was able to give a thumbs-up as he was leaving the field.

The Bucs' handling of concussions came under scrutiny two weeks ago in Week 4 when Brate appeared to take a hit to the head just before halftime against the Chiefs but remained in the game. Bowles said that was because Brate was complaining of shoulder pain at the time and wasn't showing signs of a concussion until halftime.

That was on the heels of an NFL investigation and the NFL Players Association firing an independent neurologist after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered an apparent head injury against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. He was allowed to play on «Thursday Night Football» against the Cincinnati Bengals, and he left the game with a concussion.