DeVante Parker wasn’t thinking straight.
And more than two weeks later, neither is the NFL.
The league has opted to take what we will generously term a CYA approach to its review of a scary scene that unfolded during the Cardinals game against the New England Patriots on Dec. 12.
What happened: The receiver Parker was obviously woozy and wobbly on his feet after a play that saw his head slam violently onto the turf. And yet … nobody on the officiating crew saw what millions of fans did - and fortunately, Parker teammate Nelson Agholor saw it, too, and intervened in time to get the game stopped.
Parker was eventually placed into concussion protocol. He missed last weekend's game against the Raiders and has been ruled out for the Week 16 meeting with the Bengals.
So, everything worked out OK, right?
That is how the NFL has decided to put this situation behind it, as in a ruling we find alarming, the NFL - and the NFLPA, too! - is claiming that it’s review of the medical staff reports leave the powers that be claiming no missteps were taken.
Yup. Really.
The NFL has announced that it found no violations of concussion protocol in the Parker case.
"The parties initiated the review because it appeared Mr. Parker may have been permitted to participate in the subsequent play without a concussion evaluation," the NFL statement reads. "The parties have concluded that the Game Day Concussion Checklist was followed."
The NFL and NFLPA did commend Agholor for stepping in and signaling to officials to stop the game. How kind of them.
Seriously, if this incident is the way the NFL believes is an example of the "Concussion Checklist'' working? Either somebody is lying ... or the "Concussion Checklist'' is grossly and dangerously ineffective.
As Parker himself put it? "Do your f***** jobs!''
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