During Thursday night’s season-opening rematch of Super Bowl teams Denver and Carolina, Panthers quarterback Cam Newton took at least four helmet-to-helmet hits from Broncos defenders.
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When asked if Newton’s medical assessment was adequately handled, Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said he trusted the team’s medical staff.
So that begs the question, why wasn’t Newton protected like most QBs are? He’s expected to address the media on Wednesday. Further, if the independent neurological consultants don’t have any real say as to whether or not a player is pulled from a game, what point is there to having them at all? “While we acknowledge Brandon’s right, we also believe that whatever issues we face, we also occasionally must stand together to show our allegiance to our common bond as a nation”, the company statement said. Yes I said, now am I saying it’s a black thing?
Maybe I’m being hyperbolic.The Panthers haven’t released any information to suggest that Newton did indeed sustain a concussion, so all of this could, theoretically, be moot. “One of my endgames [is] I will try to create a program that goes with that as well”.
Rivera’s update on Newton comes just days after he claimed that several of the hits on him should have been penalized and that he planned to send them to the league office for review. Only one penalty was called – on the last hit – but it was negated by an intentional grounding penalty called on Newton.
The first came early in the third quarter, when DeMarcus Ware pulled Newton down and Von Miller hit him, facemask-to-facemask.
“I don’t regret anything I did or losing endorsements”, he said.
If fined, Stewart said, “I’m definitely going to appeal”. Just call the rules for every single person that is a quarterback.
It points to a far larger problem in the National Football League of players not realizing the long-term effects of hits to the head, especially some of the ones Newton took Thursday night.
“It’s nearly insulting”, Olsen said.
But Newton eventually walked slowly back toward the middle of the field. “And he’s not. He’s a quarterback, who happens to big and fast and strong”. Each side will review its findings and recommend a disciplinary response. This, according to the NFL’s Concussion Policy, falls neatly into the “slow to get up following a hit to the head” category, which, I should mention, is a verbatim quote taken directly from the league’s own mandate. From my perspective, I wanted to hear what he had to say.
Cornerback Chris Harris Jr. said nobody should have been surprised that the Broncos clobbered Newton they way they did. “He’s a competitive guy and we do have to be aware of it too, because he wants to be the guy with the ball”.
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Panthers defensive coordinator Sean McDermott watched from the sidelines.
