With 7:37 left in the Panthers’ week eight win against the Falcons, quarterback Sam Darnold took a big hit from Atlanta linebacker Foyesade Oluokun. Darnold was injured on the play and would not return.
During his Monday press conference, head coach Matt Rhule told us that Darnold has been placed in the league’s concussion protocol and will visit the doctor later that day.
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.
If Sam is unable to play, PJ Walker is the next in line to lead the Panthers’ offense. Walker, who is in his second year at Carolina, has had his struggles when having to enter the game due to injury, but Coach Rhule says the team is confident in his ability to win if Darnold can’t go.
“I don’t think there’s a guy I the locker room who doesn’t believe in him. I think most of our guys see him at practice and saw him last year against Detroit and know that he can lead us. If PJ is asked to play, I expect that he’d play well.”