Student Well-Being

Michael Vick: NFL’s Soon-to-Be Role Model on Concussions?

By Bryan Toporek — September 19, 2011 1 min read
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A few months ago, the NFL set a new standard for player safety in their new collective bargaining agreement by restricting the total number of each team’s padded practices and limiting two-a-day practices.

After Sunday night, the NFL has the opportunity to set an example in the realm of player safety once again.

Depending on what happens with Michael Vick, the NFL may end up sending the message that a player’s health matters more than championship aspirations, no matter how grandiose they might be.

Vick, the quarterback of the Philadelphia Eagles, sustained a concussion during the third quarter of the Eagles game against the Atlanta Falcons last night. Vick was tackled by an Atlanta defender and his helmet bumped against the helmet of one of his own teammates, Todd Herremans. Vick immediately left the field, spitting up blood on the way.

One look at Vick’s eyes said it all. He wore a glossy, dazed look that’s a surefire warning sign of a concussion, and yet somehow, the announcers of the game didn’t

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A version of this news article first appeared in the Schooled in Sports blog.