Majority of Americans Support Changing the NFL Concussion Protocol
By Alvin Gunnion
The recent collapse of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has once again raised concerns about the efficacy of NFL concussion and general safety protocols, after the Dolphins attributed his clear disorientation and instability to a “back injury” and allowed him to continue play after he was shoved to the ground and hit his head on the turf.
This comes after increased scrutiny the NFL has faced in light of revelations about the relationship between football and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a condition found in hundreds of ex-NFL athletes.
In a recent survey on the NFL concussion protocol, Data for Progress asked likely voters what they thought of the Miami Dolphins’ handling of the incident. Across party lines, Americans are highly concerned about the way the Dolphins handled Tagovailoa’s injuries, with 76 percent of respondents indicating they are either “very concerned” or “somewhat concerned.”
When given more information about the specifics of the NFL concussion protocol, a majority (77 percent) of Americans agree that the NFL needs to improve its concussion protocol and do more for players who experience concussions. Only 12 percent of voters say that the protocol was thorough enough already.
Additionally, our polling finds that a large, bipartisan majority (84 percent) of Americans support the recent changes to the NFL concussion protocol jointly proposed by the NFL and NFL Players Association. This includes 85 percent of Democrats, 81 percent of Independents, and 85 percent of Republicans.
Under this updated protocol, any player who exhibited the kind of instability that Tagovailoa did must automatically be ruled out for the rest of the game, regardless of any other contributing factors.
This polling makes clear that Americans overwhelmingly support the changes put forward by the NFL and NFL Players Association in order to make the sport safer and prevent serious short- and long-term harm to athletes. These reforms retain strong levels of support among those who regularly watch the NFL.
Alvin Gunnion (@alvingunnion) is a communications intern at Data for Progress.