The Detroit Lions center was diagnosed with a concussion after Sunday’s 24-21 win against Tampa Bay, and is not expected to practice when the team returns to work Tuesday afternoon. He also missed the final month of last season with a concussion, plus the playoffs.
ALLEN PARK — Travis Swanson has suffered another brain injury.
The Detroit Lions center was diagnosed with a concussion after Sunday’s 24-21 win against Tampa Bay, and is not expected to practice when the team returns to work Tuesday afternoon. He also missed the final month of last season with a concussion, plus the playoffs.
Swanson was allowed to finish both games in which he suffered the brain injuries because he did not report symptoms until afterward. In this case, he was evaluated by team doctors in the locker room after the game.
The NFL’s concussion protocol has come under scrutiny once again this week, after Houston quarterback Tom Savage was allowed to return to a game after he was seen laying on the field, his hands twitching. He was later diagnosed with a concussion.
Detroit has had at least four cases of concussed players returning to the field in the last four years. Swanson has done it twice, along with T. J. Lang earlier this season and Rashean Mathis in 2014. Mathis never played in the NFL again.
But Caldwell said he believes the protocol is working.
«I do think that the protocol we have in place takes the players’ health and safety first and foremost,» Caldwell said. «When there is something that comes up, it’s addressed immediately. They’re evaluated immediately, and then a determination is made immediately by guys who have spent their lifetime in that particular field.»
Of course, there’s only so much the NFL can do if players aren’t reporting their brain injuries. Are they doing that enough?
«It’s hard for me to assess, but we’ve had a couple issues with symptoms showing up after the game, and the player comes in and talks to doctors,» Caldwell said. «So I do think if they’re feeling something, they’ll let them know.»
Caldwell said the club doesn’t need to talk to players more about the importance of self-reporting brain injuries, because they do it before every season.
«That goes without saying these days, in terms of the importance of it and those kinds of things,» he said. «And our players are well aware of all we go through. They go through a complete and thorough introduction before the pads are put on, and it’s run by our doctors, our medical personnel.»
Every concussion is different, so it’s premature to make any determinations on Swanson’s status against the Bears. But the short week — they’re playing a rare Saturday game — is obviously working against him.
If Swanson can’t go, Graham Glasgow is expected to slide back to center and Corey Robinson will be inserted at left guard. Glasgow has been excellent at center in two starts this season — so much so, some wonder whether he could replace Swanson full time in 2018 — but Robinson has been a wreck at guard. And that’s where the Lions would really feel Swanson’s loss.
