According to a pair of tweets from Bill Voth, Panthers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks believes Luke Kuechly is ‘fine’ after being placed in the concussion protocol last night during the Panthers’ loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
So Wilks said Kuechly is “fine” and other folks here confirmed he was his normal self today. (1/2)
— Bill Voth (@PanthersBill) October 13, 2017
Now, sometimes symptoms don’t show up right away. Still, the Panthers may have been overly cautious last night and understandably so. (2/2).
— Bill Voth (@PanthersBill) October 13, 2017
It sounds great on the surface, but Wilks’ words don’t mean that Kuechly is truly okay.
Kuechly is still in the NFL’s concussion protocol, and it’s very possible he won’t suit up next week when the Panthers take on the Bears. The only thing Wilks’ comment means is that he personally believes Kuechly is okay, and other Panthers staffers believe he is acting like his normal self.
However, Steve Wilks is not a doctor (and he hasn’t claimed to be one), so we cannot take his word for it and assume Kuechly is ‘fine’. All concussions are different, and sometimes it can take several days for symptoms to appear. The Panthers will have to continue to be cautious about Kuechly’s status, considering this would be the third concussion he’s suffered in the last three years.
Whether we believe Kuechly is okay or not doesn’t matter, as he’s in the NFL’s concussion protocol. That means it’s up to an independent doctor to clear him for a return to the field.
According to official documentation from the league, the concussion protocol requires the following process to be completed before a player is allowed to participate in practice or games:
Return to participation process
After a concussion has occurred in practice or play, the concussed player must be examined and monitored in the training room on a daily basis or as decided by the medical staff. Components of the NFL Sideline Concussion Assessment can be utilized to check for symptoms as well as continue to monitor the other aspects of the examination. The following measures must occur in order for a player to return to play:
a. A player returns to baseline status of symptoms and neurologic exam, including cognitive and balance functions.
i. Repeat neuropsychological evaluation is performed before return to practice or play with interpretation of the data by the team neuropsychology consultant. The team neuropsychology consultant reports the findings back to the team physician.
b. A graduated exercise challenge, followed by a gradual return to practice and play, is initiated when the player returns to baseline status. The RTP protocol following a concussion follows a stepwise process to be outlined in the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee’s Return to Participation Protocol.
c. Prior to return to practice or play, not only must the team physician clear the player, but the Independent Neurological Consultant with expertise in concussions must also evaluate and clear the player for return to practice and play.
d. A player may be considered for return to practice and play only after the player has returned to baseline status with rest and exertion, has repeat neuropsychological testing which is interpreted by the team neuropsychology consultant as back to baseline levels of functioning, and has completed the Return to Participation Protocol referenced above and is cleared by the Team Physician and the Independent Neurological Consultant.
Stay tuned to CSR for more updates on Kuechly’s condition, as we’ll provide more information whenever it becomes available.