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The NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee—a board of independent and NFL-affiliated physicians and scientists, including advisors for the NFL Players Association—developed the NFL Game Day Concussion Diagnosis and Management Protocol in 2011.
The Concussion Protocol is reviewed each year to ensure players are receiving care that reflects the most up-to-date medical consensus on the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of concussions.
Every NFL player diagnosed with a concussion must follow a five-phase process before being cleared to fully practice or participate in an NFL game. This process, developed from internationally accepted guidelines, ensures that each player receives consistent treatment.
Click here for the full NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee's Concussion Diagnosis and Management Protocol and the corresponding "Concussion Checklist."
Amended July 2020
National Football League Head, Neck and Spine Committee's Protocols Regarding Return to Participation Following Concussion
Each player and each concussion is unique. Therefore, there is no set timeframe for return to participation or for the progression through the steps of the graduated exertion program set forth below. Recovery time will vary from player to player. The decision to return a player (hereinafter referred to as the "player-patient"), to participation remains within the professional judgment of the Head Club Physician or Club physician designated for concussion evaluation and treatment, performed in accordance with these Protocols.
The NFL's Intensive Protocol evolved throughout the 2020 season based on ongoing analysis of extensive testing and contact tracing data.
