Dak Prescott talks league’s role in dealing with concussions

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott understand the difficult position the NFL is in when it comes to the concussion crisis.

The league has come under fire in recent weeks for how teams handled in-game blows to Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson and Houston quarterback Tom Savage.

“It’s tough. The league is in a hard spot,” said Prescott, who has never dealt with a concussion in his pro career. “We’re obviously competitors and the most elite competitors to be at this level. It’s tough. I know I’d be the same way if somebody tried to tell me I couldn’t go back in the game when I felt capable of doing so. So, I mean, they’re in a tough spot.

“But I know as the league will and, as the league always does, we’ll find a good medium for it.”

The Seahawks violated the NFL’s concussion protocol by letting Wilson return to a Nov. 9 game against the Arizona Cardinals without being examined by a team physician and independent neurologist.

Referee Walt Anderson sent Wilson to the sidelines to be evaluated following a hit by Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby.

Savage, meanwhile, appeared to have a seizure-like reaction after being driven to the ground by San Francisco’s Elvis Dumervil last Sunday. Medical personnel allowed Savage to return to the game after an initial test, but he was later pulled after further evaluations.

A new policy has been implemented by the NFL and the NFL players’ association that teams are subject to penalties ranging from a fine to loss of draft picks if they violate the concussion protocol.

But it also comes down to the league protecting the players from themselves as Prescott alluded to wanting to play if he felt good enough to do so.

“They have to, but then again, as I said, it’s tough,” Prescott said, who’ll lead the Cowboys against Oakland Sunday night. “If I say I’m OK, then I’m OK. Obviously you’ve got your test and you’ve got your things that you have to run, but they’re in a tough spot.

“As I said, we’ll find a way to get to a happy medium where we all feel comfortable and we all feel safe and good with everything.”

This story was originally published December 14, 2017 at 3:32 PM with the headline "Dak Prescott talks league’s role in dealing with concussions."