There are five steps Patrick Mahomes must clear to be available for the Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game
The biggest issue of the week leading up to NFL Championship Games weekend is whether Patrick Mahomes will clear concussion protocol and be able to play for the Kansas City Chiefs against the Buffalo Bills.
The league has strict rules that the Super Bowl MVP has to clear in order to be available for the AFC Championship Game on Jan. 24 at Arrowhead Stadium.
Per NFL.com:
Every NFL player diagnosed with a concussion must follow a five-step process before being cleared to fully practice or participate in an NFL game. This process, developed from internationally accepted guidelines, ensures that each player receives consistent treatment.
Each player and each concussion is unique, and there is no set time-frame for return to participation. Team medical staff consider the player’s current concussive injury, as well as past exposures and medical history, family history and future risk in managing a player’s care.
After a player has progressed through the five-step process, and is cleared for full participation by his club physician, he must be seen and separately cleared by an Independent Neurological Consultant (INC), jointly approved by the NFL and NFLPA, who is not affiliated with any NFL club. Until cleared by this independent physician, a player may not return to contact practice or play in an NFL game.
The five steps:
Step 1: Symptom Limited Activity
The player is prescribed rest, limiting or, if necessary, avoiding activities (both physical and cognitive) that increase or aggravate symptoms. Under athletic training staff supervision, limited stretching and balance training can be introduced, progressing to light aerobic exercise, all as tolerated.
Step 2: Aerobic Exercise
Under direct oversight of the team’s medical staff, the player should begin graduated cardiovascular exercise and may also engage in dynamic stretching and balance training. Neorocognitive and balance testing can be administered after completion of Phase Two and the results should be interpreted as back to baseline.
Step 3: Football Specific Exercise
The player continues with supervised cardiovascular exercises that are increased and may mimic sport-specific activities, and supervised strength training is introduced. The players is allowed to practice with the team in sport-specific exercise for 30 minutes or less with ongoing and careful monitoring.
Step 4: Club-Based Non-Contact Training Drills
The player continues cardiovascular, strength and balance training, team-based sport-specific exercise, and participates in non-contact football activities (e.g. throwing, catching, running, and other position-specific activities). Neurocognitive and balance testing should be completed no later than the end of Phase Four with the results interpreted as back to baseline.
Step 5: Full Football Activity/Clearance
Upon clearance by the Club physician for full football activity involving contact, the player must be examined by the Independent Neurological Consultant (INC) assigned to his Club. If the INC concurs with the Club physician that the player’s concussion has resolved, he may participate in his Club’s next practice or game.
The injury report updates later in the week will provide insight into whether the Chiefs enter the game with Mahomes or have to start Chad Henne, who came on after the QB suffered the concussion on a hit by the Cleveland Browns’ Al Wilson.
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