Players hope concussion rules ease peer pressure

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New Orleans Saints linebacker Scott Fujita is glad to see the NFL changing its concussion policies. Why? Because, he figures, the league is finally getting around to saving players from themselves.

“You almost have to take it out of the players’ hands, because we’re not going to make the most responsible decision,” Fujita said.

“If I was in that situation in a playoff game, and I was kind of dinged and not functioning very well on the sideline, I’d like to think that someone might look out for my best interest,” he said, “because I don’t think I’d do that for myself.”

In dozens of interviews across the NFL this week, The Associated Press found that players voiced nearly unanimous support for the league’s latest moves on head injuries. Like Fujita, they’re grateful to have extra sets of eyes looking out for them — and they’re relieved to have a buffer against peer pressure about missing games or practices.

Put another way: With league- and union-approved independent neurologists now assigned to all 32 clubs, and stricter return-to-play guidelines instituted Wednesday, players hope teammates will be less likely to question their tenacity when they’re kept on the sideline with a concussion.

“One of the things that has been so hard in this league for so long is playing with injuries and what constitutes being ’tough’ and being ’courageous’ and what constitutes being stupid and hurting yourself for the long-term,” said Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner, who sat out last weekend with a concussion. “Anything that eases that part of it is progress, because, again, there’s a mentality in the locker room. ... Sometimes there needs to be an outside force helping.”

As Atlanta Falcons center Todd McClure put it: “If you come out [of a game], you’re seen as ’soft.’ That’s the way it is. I think any type of protection like that to keep a guy out for a game would be big.”

Nearly 20 percent of the 160 NFL players surveyed Nov. 2-15 by the AP replied that they have hidden or played down the effects of a concussion. Half of that group said they’ve had at least one concussion playing football; 61 said they missed playing time because a head injury.

A handful of the players AP reporters spoke with this week wondered whether the NFL’s latest efforts could cause some to be even more unwilling to let on when they feel concussion symptoms. If the league is going to force someone to miss game time, this line of thinking goes, then players might be more likely to try to hide a problem, particularly late in the season, with much at stake.

“It might make it worse. It could be a Super Bowl game or a playoff game, where ’this game means everything.’ For me, it depends on how bad it would be,” explained Miami Dolphins guard Donald Thomas, who said he’s never had a concussion. “If I can’t function and I won’t be worth anything to the team, I’ll say, ’I can’t go.’ But if a man feels he can go. ...”

After all, as Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Farrior said: “It’s just a natural reaction for you to fib a little bit and not give all the doctors all the information, because you want to go out there and play. You don’t want them to come back and tell you you’re not able to play.”

The NFL hopes that’s not a popular sentiment.

“That wouldn’t be very smart,” league spokesman Greg Aiello said. “Players need to understand that it’s not their call. They should report the symptoms, and let the doctors handle it.”

Farrior’s teammate Hines Ward caused a stir last weekend when he suggested Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger let the team down by sitting out with a concussion, forcing an inexperienced backup to start what turned out to be an overtime loss to the Ravens. Ward later apologized.

Roethlisberger and Warner — the starting QBs in last season’s Super Bowl — are among several prominent players who missed games in recent weeks because of head injuries.