The N.F.L. usually does the whole lot in its energy to guard quarterbacks, the undisputed stars of the sport.
However on Sunday, among the league’s greatest quarterbacks, together with Tom Brady and Justin Herbert, had been banged up and in some circumstances left within the recreation regardless of the danger of aggravating their accidents.
One obvious damage even prompted the N.F.L. Gamers Affiliation to launch an inquiry. That occurred in Miami, the place Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa regarded to have sustained a head damage when he hit the again of his helmet on the turf within the second quarter. Tagovailoa instantly grabbed the perimeters of his helmet, staggered to his ft and after taking a couple of steps, fell to his knees. He walked off the sector and spent the remainder of the primary half within the locker room, however returned to play within the second half.
The NFL Community reported that Tagovailoa damage his again, prompting Chris Nowinski of the Concussion Legacy Basis to push again. “Tua shakes his head a number of instances to ‘clear the cobwebs,’ which is a particular signal of imaginative and prescient impairment after concussion,” Nowinski wrote on Twitter. “His return is a fail @nfl.”
The union will interview everybody concerned in Tagovailoa’s analysis, an choice added to the collective bargaining settlement in 2020.
Herbert, who had injured ribs heading into the Los Angeles Chargers’ recreation towards the Jacksonville Jaguars, didn’t look as sharp as normal. Along with his staff trailing by 28 factors with 5 minutes left within the recreation, the Chargers left Herbert within the recreation.
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones left the sport after he injured his left leg or ankle when Calais Campbell of the Baltimore Ravens landed on him. The play got here late within the fourth quarter. Jones was helped into the locker room by trainers. After the sport, Coach Invoice Belichick stated he had no replace on Jones’s situation, and Jones didn’t communicate with the information media.
In Charlotte, New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston reportedly performed with a number of injured vertebrae. He threw for 353 yards and one landing but additionally was intercepted twice because the Saints misplaced, 22-14.
Brady additionally performed injured, having damage his proper ring finger final week. The damage was dangerous sufficient that Brady was listed on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers damage report on Friday earlier than they confronted Aaron Rodgers and the Inexperienced Bay Packers.
Brady didn’t seem to compensate when throwing the ball on Sunday. He was 31 of 42 for 271 yards and one landing, which got here late within the fourth quarter to chop the Packers’ result in 2 factors.
Maybe Brady’s most enjoyable play got here when he scrambled via midfield for a big acquire. However the run was referred to as again due to a penalty. After Brady slid to the bottom, he needed to readjust the brace he was sporting on his left knee.
And an apparently wholesome Rodgers acquired the higher of Brady and the Buccaneers because the Packers left Tampa with a 14-12 victory.