SPOKANE — It wasn’t long ago that football pros gained cheers for delivering — or receiving — repeated, head-rattling tackles.
But by 2011, health concerns about concussions in sports moved to the forefront alongside medical research, news coverage and player lawsuits.
It led to return-to-play rules now standard — from the National Football League to kids’ sports. A national “Heads Up” campaign advocates removing any athlete with suspected concussion from play, and medical experts warn about the danger of a second blow before recovery.
The NFL adopted a comprehensive game-day concussion diagnosis and management protocol in 2011. The league just added rules on ataxia, or poor motor skills, following a hit regardless of other possible causes after Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in 2022 got two hard hits — the second requiring him to be carted off the field.