(Image Source: Cleveland.com)

BY NICK ADAMS

A concussion in the NFL, not so uncommon.  A concussion that’s missed by medical staff until after the game, that’s a different story. KXAN has the latest.

“The NFL’s concussion policy is being questioned. That’s after former Texas Longhorn quarterback Colt McCoy took a vicious hit to the head in his game last night.”

What happened to Cleveland Browns player Colt McCoy after the hit is a little hazy. What is supposed to happen is the medical staff checks for symptoms of a concussion before letting a player back into the game.  

But a Chronicle Online writer says he didn’t see that happen.

“The television replays showed the trainers taping McCoy’s hand on the sideline, but didn’t reveal any neurological exams. Three minutes and 50 seconds passed between the hit and McCoy’s return and only 80 seconds of game time.”

The Browns’ head coach says McCoy didn’t display any symptoms associated with a concussion until after the game -- but Colt’s father argues he was nauseated and confused during the game.

NFL.com says Colt never should have been put back in.

“We heard Pat Shurmer say, ‘Hey, we asked him if he was OK.’ Listen, any tough guy -- everyone’s tough in this business -- they are going to respond with an overwhelming, ‘Yes! I’m good to go! Put me back in.’ Especially your quarterback ... This is where the medical staff, the coaching staff, steps in and say, ‘Hey, forget the game, forget the organization. What is best for this player?’”

So, how can another missed concussion be avoided? ESPN’s John Clayton says the NFL’s medical staff needs to up its game.

“It’s just another thing to show you the value of having an extra eye.  A doctor trying to look at these different things and try to keep the players safe. Because it’s hard to determine the concussions but afterwards you can see that he had one.”

The Bleacher Report agrees, saying the incident speaks to the NFL’s need to revamp its helmet-to-helmet hit rules.

“Why would the NFL allow any helmet-to-helmet hits, ever? … As far as the NFL has come in terms of concussions these past few years... there's still plenty of work left to be done. The McCoy-Harrison incident was a stark reminder of a larger problem with the NFL's current player safety rules.”

And Pro Football Talk offers its own solution. The site says officials need to take players off the field to evaluate if they are concussed.

“Coaches may not like this approach very much... To that we say, ‘So what?’  Either the NFL is serious about dealing with this issue, or the NFL isn’t.  Right now, the league’s procedures contain a gaping hole regarding one of the most significant hazards of concussions—exposing players to a second concussion.”

McCoy’s status for next week’s game remains uncertain.