NFL, NFLPA agree to modifications in concussion protocols that will go into effect immediately

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The National Football League and the NFLPA will implement new concussion protocols in time for Sunday's games.

The NFLPA released a statement that they had made changes to the protocol — something that both parties said was necessary and imminent — but was urging the league to accept.

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Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins sits on the turf during the first half against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 25, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

A key change to the protocols is that any player who is diagnosed with ataxia — "abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue" — my not return to the game.

"The Protocol exists to establish a high standard of concussion care for each player whereby every medical professional engages in a meaningful and rigorous examination of the player-patent (sic)," the NFL and NFLPA said in a joint statement on Saturday. "To that end, the parties remain committed to continuing to evaluate our Protocol to ensure it reflects the intended conservative approach to evaluating player-patients for potential head injuries."

The outcry comes after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion on Sept. 29 that sent him to the hospital, which happened just four days after he was put into concussion protocol because he wobbled to the turf after a tackle during the previous game.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is taken off the field on a stretcher during the first half of a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29, 2022, in