Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson took a hard shot to the chin from Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby in the third quarter of Thursday night’s game that led to a penalty for Dansby and a trip to the bench for Wilson.
Referee Walt Anderson sent Wilson to the sideline to get evaluated by medical personnel, but Wilson’s stay was brief. Austin Davis took one snap at quarterback and Wilson was back on the field without going into the blue medical tent. The Seahawks would punt two plays later and Wilson would then go into the tent while the defense was on the field.
Wilson has long been a proponent of the concussion protection provided by a water company that also happens to be an investment, but the initial check seemed cursory even with nanobubbles doing their thing. Wilson said he was totally fine after the game and didn’t show any signs of difficulty on the field while piloting the Seahawks to a win.
“I was just trying to move my jaw. I was like, ‘Ah, man, it’s stuck,’” Wilson said, via ESPN.com. “I think I was kinda like laying down on the ground for a second just trying to get my jaw, and I think Walt thought maybe I was injured or something like that. I told him I was good, I was good, and he said, ‘Come off the field.’ I think Walt did a great job first of all. He made the smartest decision. I was fine, though, 100 percent fine. And then they finally went over through the whole concussion stuff and all that. We went through every question you could imagine, and I answered even some more for them just so they knew I was good, and then went back in there.”
The NFL and NFLPA have done checks to see if the concussion protocols were followed in the past and could look into Wilson’s situation as well. If any improprieties are found, the Seahawks would be subject to a fine.