Support provided by:
Learn More
November 12, 2013
Share
At least nine NFL players appeared to suffer a concussion this past weekend, but what made Week 10 especially noteworthy was that four of those players have already been sidelined by a head injury this season.
If any of the four is added to the NFL’s injury report with a concussion, it will mark the first time this season that a player has been officially diagnosed with multiple concussions. In 2012, FRONTLINE’s Concussion Watch project saw a total of 10 players suffer more than one head injury.
As Week 11 approaches, here are the names we’ll be watching for on the league’s next injury report, as well as our roundup of the top concussion-related headlines from the past week:
The Jaguars receiver missed six weeks following a head injury he suffered in Week 3, and went down again with another concussion midway through his first game back in Week 10.
The Jaguars confirmed the injury on their website, making Burton the first player in 2013 to officially be diagnosed with multiple concussions.
The 49ers lost Vernon Davis in the second quarter of Week 10 after their star tight end suffered a blow to the head on a dropped pass, ESPN reported.
The concussion was the second for Davis in less than a year. Davis was diagnosed with a head injury during Week 16 of the 2012 season, but he was back on the practice field for the 49ers just four days later.
King Dunlap suffered his first concussion of the 2013 season in Week 3. He appeared to go down with a second head injury in Week 7, but because the Chargers did not play the following week, the potential injury was not noted on the Week 8 injury report.
In Week 10, Dunlap was down again with what would appear to be his third concussion in less than three months.
“He had some symptoms on the sideline — obviously it was the first drive of the second half there — that kind of just came on shortly before we were entering the field,” said Coach Mike McCoy, who noted that doctors were still examining Dunlap.
The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Dunlap “attempted to play through it for an unspecified period of time before the Chargers medical staff was made aware of the injury.”
The Texans confirmed on Twitter that tight end Ryan Griffin suffered a concussion midway through their Week 10 loss to the Cardinals, though it is not clear how he was hurt.
The Bills are one of three NFL teams that have yet to report a concussion this season, but in Week 10 receiver Chris Hogan was pulled from the field with what Coach Doug Marrone described as “concussion-like symptoms.” On Monday, Marrone told reporters that Hogan was “OK from the game,” and said the team expects him to be available for their Week 11 matchup with the Jets.
In October Hogan told The Buffalo News that he’s “seen stars” many times after from hits to the head, although he had suffered only one documented concussion.
Middle linebacker Paul Posluszny was one of two Jaguars players to be sidelined by a concussion in Week 10. Coach Gus Bradley said Posluszny was hurt in the fourth quarter of Jacksonville’s 29-27 win over the Titans, and was uncertain if he would be ready to return in time for Week 11.
“I don’t know [if Posluszny will miss a game],” Bradley said. “I’ve seen it around the league where it hasn’t been that way. Everybody’s different.”
Bradley also told reporters that Posluszny originally fought to stay in the game. “He wanted to get back in there, but to his credit he followed our advice,” Bradley said.
Eric Reid suffered his second concussion of the 2013 season after he was bowled over in Week 10 by 250-pound fullback Mike Tolbert. As USA Today reported, Reid “bounced off Tolbert and immediately went to the ground.”
The rookie safety appeared to be knocked out but got up after a few minutes and was able to walk off the field under his own power.
Kenny Vaccaro said via his Instagram account that he will miss the Saint’s Week 11 game with the 49ers after suffering a concussion in Week 10 against the Cowboys.
“Mad I can’t play this weekend. We will take care of business. Thanks for the support. WHO-DAT,” Vaccaro said on Instagram.
Vaccaro was hurt in the second half after taking a knee to the head from Cowboys tight end Jason Witten. The concussion was the second in three games for the New Orleans rookie. Vaccaro was also injured in Week 8, though he returned from that injury without missing a game.
Benjamin Watson was taken out of the Saints’ Week 10 game against Dallas with a concussion, the team announced on Twitter.
Watson left the game after slamming his head on the turf while attempting to haul in a pass in the endzone. The concussion was Watson’s first of the year, but in 2011 he was forced to end his season early after suffering three concussions while with the Browns.
Policies
Teacher Center
Funding for FRONTLINE is provided through the support of PBS viewers and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Additional funding is provided by the Abrams Foundation; Park Foundation; the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation; and the FRONTLINE Journalism Fund with major support from Jon and Jo Ann Hagler on behalf of the Jon L. Hagler Foundation, and additional support from Koo and Patricia Yuen. FRONTLINE is a registered trademark of WGBH Educational Foundation. Web Site Copyright ©1995-2025 WGBH Educational Foundation. PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.