Sep 14, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields (7) is pressured by Buffalo Bills defensive end Joey Bosa (97) during the second half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

NFL Concussion Protocol Explained: Next Steps For Jets' Justin Fields

Originally posted on New York Jets on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Sep 15, 2025 10:09 AM ET

On Sunday, New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields was forced to exit the team's Week 2 matchup against the Buffalo Bills after hitting his head on the field.

Fields was checked out for a concussion and ultimately exited to the locker room. After the game, it was shared that Fields did in fact get diagnosed with a concussion. So, now things are up in the air for Week 3.

This is especially the case because on Monday morning, ESPN's Adam Schefter shared that Fields has officially been placed in the NFL's concussion protocol.

"Jets QB Justin Fields is in concussion protocol," Schefter said.

What's next for Justin Fields?

This is a term that is thrown around a lot throughout the NFL season. But, what exactly does it mean? We are here to explain.

Concussions across the NFL has been a topic that has been discussed at lengths over the years. Concussions are a serious issue and therefore, the league has a strict protocol in place for players to return to the field.

It's a five-step process once a player is in the protocol. Step No. 1 is "Symptom Limited Activity." Essentially, this means resting and potentially staff-supervised stretching until symptoms go away. Step No. 2 is "Aerobic Exercise." This is starting to pick up exercise and stretching with the oversight of the team staff. Tests are also done at this point, per the league website.

Step No. 3 is "Football Specific-Exercise." At this stage, players are allowed to practice for 30 minutes or less while continuing their exercise. Step No. 4 is "Club-Based Non-Contact Training Drills." More testing is done and the player can pick up their practice a bit. For Fields, this would mean throwing and running and other things like that. Step No. 5 is "Full Football Activity/Clearance." This is what it sounds like. A player is evaluated by an independent specialists and if cleared, fully can return.

You can find the full protocol from the league right here.

It's a very specific process and now we will wait and see how Fields responds.

This article first appeared on New York Jets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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