Tag: Concussion

Cowboys’ original Big Cat: Rayfield Wright’s winding road to Canton and beyond

The only offensive lineman in the Cowboys Ring of Honor took quite a journey to get there, a journey he now has trouble remembering.

Fans don’t know the offensive linemen, the saying goes, unless they screw up.

Sometimes the best offensive linemen in the sport’s history don’t really register with the average fan. Even in the world of professional football, in the very buildings where they ply their punishing trade, they can be easily overlooked while the teammates they protect and block for get all the glory.

The Dallas Cowboys have boasted some legendary offensive linemen in their six-decade history. Superstars like Staubach, Aikman, Romo, Prescott, Dorsett, Smith, and Elliott might not be what they are without their big beefeaters up front. Despite a roster packed with playmakers, for example, the Cowboys of the ’90s don’t win three Super Bowls in four years without the front five who made up “The Great Wall of Dallas.”

Twenty-two names are forever immortalized in AT&T Stadium’s Ring of Honor. But even here, where the history of O-line play is as rich and storied as anyplace in the league, only one offensive lineman resides next to those other legends. And while he played in an era when few of today’s fans got the chance to see him, there is only one Rayfield Wright.

Chiefs CB L’Jarius Sneed cleared NFL’s concussion protocol

Sneed is cleared to play in Super Bowl LV, also a brief update on Sammy Watkins.

The Kansas City Chiefs got some good news to start the practice week ahead of Super Bowl LV.

According to Chiefs HC Andy Reid, rookie CB L’Jarius Sneed practiced on Monday and has officially cleared the NFL’s concussion protocol. Sneed suffered a head injury and entered the NFL’s concussion protocol in the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills.

“Sneed is good to go,” Reid said. “He’s been cleared.”

Now, one of the most important young players for Kansas City’s defense will be healthy and available to play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV.

Sneed’s production over the past four games for the Chiefs has been nothing short of elite, recording 14 total tackles, three sacks, five tackles for loss, five QB hits, three passes defended and an interception. The team will need him to continue playing at that level if they’re to become back-to-back Super Bowl champions. He’ll be tasked with slowing down the likes of Tom Brady and a talented Buccaneers offense.

In addition to Sneed, Reid reported that WR Sammy Watkins practiced on Monday. He was held out of practice late in the week last week for purely precautionary reasons and is tracking to play in the game.

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Browns LB Mack Wilson sent well wishes to Patrick Mahomes, who cleared concussion protocol

This is pretty cool.

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes status for this weekend’s AFC Championship game was up in the air for most of the week.

Last weekend during the Cheifs’ Divisional Round game against the Cleveland Browns, Mahomes was hit by linebacker Mack Wilson and suffered a concussion.

It was a clean hit, but Mahomes ended up hitting his head on the turf badly enough to keep him out of the game. Luckily for them, though, Mahomes was cleared by team doctors on Friday to play in this weekend’s game against the Bills.

And with that news, Wilson sent his own well-wishes to Mahomes as he prepares to play on Sunday.

This is pretty nice to see. Especially after Wilson was called out by Mahomes mother last week after the hit. Of course, he explained that there was no disrespect and he was just playing hard.

They peaced everything up.

Shouts to Wilson for being a great sport. It’s good to see Mahomes back and healthy again. Football is better when he’s at his best.

LOOK: Patrick Mahomes’ mom & Mack Wilson exhange words on Twitter

Following a hit that led to Patrick Mahomes being placed into the NFL’s concussion protocol, Mac Wilson has apologized to Mohomes’ mom …

Following yesterday’s AFC Divisional playoff game between the Cleveland Browns and the Kansas City Chiefs, star quarterback Patrick Mahomes and former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson exchanged words on Twitter after Wilson tackled Mahomes, which led to the 2019 MVP being placed into NFL’s concussion protocol.

Wison had expressed apologies to Mahomes on social media, and also defended his name after many fans claimed he was a dirty player. Mahomes responded, seemingly dismissing the whole thing and accepting the apology.

Mahomes’ mom, Randi, also took to Twitter to call out Wilson. Stating “evil never wins,” and included Wilson’s jersey number.

The tweet seemed to be a direct call-out of Wilson’s hit on Mahomes.

Wilson, who has taken every opportunity possible in order to let it be known the hit was not intentional and that he is not a ‘dirty player,’ responded directly.

LOOK: Mack Wilson apologizes for hit that led to concussion, Patrick Mahomes responds

Former Alabama LB Mack Wilson apologizes to star quarterback Patrick Mahomes after a hit that led to a concussion in the AFC divisional r…

Former Alabama linebacker Mack Wilson has been under fire on Twitter after a hit on Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Divisional game between the Cleveland Browns and the Kansas City Chiefs that took Mahomes out of the game for most of the second half.

The tackle put the Super Bowl winning quarterback into NFL’s concussion protocol, and eventually ruled him out in returning.

The game ended with a Chiefs win, which will send them to the AFC Championship against the Buffalo Bills.

Shortly after the game concluded players were asked about the hit, and Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield defended his second-year linebacker.

Wilson, who was drafted in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL draft, took to social media to apologize to Mahomes for the hit.

He also went on to address the many social media users caiming he is a dirty player.

Mahomes accepted Wilson’s apology.

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes officially ruled out with a concussion

Mahomes will not play for the remainder of the Chiefs’ divisional-round game against the Browns.

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The Kansas City Chiefs have officially ruled out starting quarterback Patrick Mahomes with a concussion.

Mahomes suffered the concussion on a third-and-short running play late in the third quarter. He had to be helped to his feet by his teammates and was clearly woozy on the play. The CBS broadcast crew would later announce that Mahomes was in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

The independent league neurologist evaluated Mahomes and confirmed that the Chiefs’ star quarterback had suffered a concussion. That means his day is done and Kansas City will need to finish the remainder of the divisional-round game against the Cleveland Browns without him.

The only good news in this situation is that backup QB Chad Henne got some action in Week 17 against the Los Angeles Chargers. He should be limber and ready to lead the Chiefs in relief for Mahomes. He doesn’t have the arm that Mahomes has, but he’s a veteran player who knows the system for Kansas City.

They’ll look for some help from the offensive playmakers like Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill in these moments. They’ll also look for guys like Chris Jones, Frank Clark and Tyrann Mathieu to come up with some big plays on the defensive side of the ball to help close this game out.

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Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes knocked out of game vs. Browns

Mahomes is officially in the NFL’s concussion protocol.

Update: Patrick Mahomes has officially been ruled out with a concussion.

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes has left the game with an apparent head injury.

On a third-and-short play, the Chiefs ran yet another speed option play like the one that Mahomes scored on earlier in the game. Mahomes took a big hit from Browns LB Mack Wilson on the play and was driven into the ground. He was shaken up following the play and stumbled while trying to stand, very clearly dealing with some sort of a head injury.

Mahomes was taken into the blue tent on the sideline before exiting to head to the locker room. The broadcast confirmed that Mahomes is in the NFL’s concussion protocol. He’ll need to be cleared by an independent neurologist as part of the NFL’s policy related to concussions before he’ll be allowed to return to the game.

Chiefs backup QB Chad Henne entered the game in Mahomes’ place. He came in on fourth-and-inches and the team managed to convert. They marched down the field and got into field goal range, extending their lead to 12 points.

Obviously, this is not the situation you want to be in if you’re the Chiefs. They’ll need to rely on their playmakers on both sides of the ball to close this game out if Mahomes is unable to return to the game.

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Lamar Jackson takes time for Ravens and Bills fans after tough playoff loss

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson stuck around after the playoff loss to take pictures and sign autographs for fans.

The Baltimore Ravens’ season ended on Sunday, in a 17-3 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. It was not the best night for quarterback Lamar Jackson, who spent most of the game getting harassed by defenders and found himself exiting in the fourth quarter with a concussion. But despite the loss and injury, Jackson still took time for the fans.

At the airport, Jackson stuck around to take pictures and sign autographs with fans — not just Ravens fans but Bills fans as well.

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Jackson has earned the respect of opposing players, opposing fans, and media both on and off the field over the years. Jackson has the personality traits that make it easy to root for.

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Will the Texans shutdown RT Tytus Howard for the last two games?

The Houston Texans, with two meaningless games to go, may have to make a decision on whether to keep playing RT Tytus Howard or shut him down.

Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard sustained a concussion in the second quarter of the club’s 27-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Swing tackle Roderick Johnson filled in for Howard, who is now in concussion protocol, and spent Sunday evening in an Indianapolis hospital for observation due to severe symptoms the former 2019 first-round pick was showing from the concussion.

According to interim coach Romeo Crennel on Monday, the Texans haven’t made a decision on whether to allow Howard to play the final two games or to end his season early.

“After the doctors take a good look at him and he goes into the protocol, there’s a protocol that we have to follow,” Crennel said. “They have to pass I think five different stages before they’re eligible to play. It just depends on whether he can pass those stages or not.”

The length of concussion protocol is such that players typically don’t get out of it by the time the next game rolls around. It is not out of the question that Howard could miss the Week 16 matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals at NRG Stadium.

Even if Howard were to miss that game, Crennel gave the impression in his Monday presser with the Houston media that the club would play Howard in Week 17 against the Tennessee Titans.

Said Crennel: “Well, if he passes the protocol then they say that he’s OK. If we need him then we could probably play him. If he doesn’t pass the protocol then we can’t even put him on the field.”

Howard has started in all 14 games to this point, almost double what he played in his rookie season, which was cut short on Nov. 30, 2019, when he was placed on injured reserve due to an MCL injury. If Howard’s season ends with two games to go, it gives him a head start on the offseason.

Texans RT Tytus Howard to stay in Indianapolis hospital for concussion precaution

Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard will be staying overnight in an Indianapolis hospital after being diagnosed with a concussion.

Houston Texans right tackle Tytus Howard won’t be traveling back with the team after the 27-20 loss to the Indianapolis Colts Sunday afternoon at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The former 2019 first-round pick from Alabama State will be staying behind at an Indianapolis hospital overnight, which is a standard precaution after a player has been diagnosed with a concussion.

Howard sustained the concussion with 12:27 to go in the second quarter of the loss that sent the Texans to 4-10 on the season. Swing tackle Roderick Johnson replaced Howard for the remainder of the game.

If Howard misses any time, the Texans could possibly activate fourth-round rookie Charlie Heck to serve as swing tackle as Johnson would substitute for Howard for a game.