Kris Dielman’s Concussion Should Be a Wake-up Call to the NFL
The San Diego Chargers placed left guard Kris Dielman on the injured reserve after he sustained a concussion and subsequent grand mal seizure during the October 23 game against the New York Jets.
Coverage from the game shows that Dielman suffered a concussion but still continued to play and was not evaluated for a concussion until after the game. He was determined fit enough to take the plane ride back to San Diego, however suffered a grand mal seizure during the flight.
Dielman’s Case
Watching the video playback of Dielman’s hit, you can clearly see he is wobbling and disorientated. The umpire and referee notice but are waved off by Dielman. But in this case, someone should have stepped in and pulled him out for evaluation. While I know football players are tough and it’s a man thing not to complain or say their hurt, players need to understand the serious consequences a concussion can have and that they can be fatal.
Second Impact Syndrome
By playing with a concussion, Dielman placed himself at risk for what is known as second impact syndrome. Second impact syndrome is a condition that is rare but can occur when a person suffers a second head injury, such as a concussion, before an initial concussion has had the time to heal. The impact of the second head injury can cause cerebral swelling and brain herniation which can lead to death. Had Dielman sustained a second hit during the game, he could have died right there on the field within minutes.
Needed Changes
In this case, Dielman was extremely lucky that a seizure was all that he suffered because by continuing to play he put himself at the risk of death from second impact syndrome. While the NFL and the NFL Players Association’s Joint Committee on Player Safety and Welfare are discussing this case and have made recommendations for referees to identify players they believe have suffered a concussion, I think more needs to be done. I think players need to be better educated in concussion symptoms and told to watch out for their fellow players.
Football is a tough sport and nothing is going to change that. No amount of fines against players is going to change the way they hit during a game. But players need to be educated in recognizing signs and symptoms and watch out for each other. On the video coverage of Dielman’s hit, I could see in my living room that he needed to be pulled out of that game, yet no one there on the field did? This needs to change.
As a wife, I know that when my husband sustains an injury he waves it off and says he is fine. Men are taught to be strong and not let pain get to them. But, when it comes to life or death, there needs to be someone on the field that won’t let a player wave them off and will pull them out when they feel it is necessary.
Deborah Braconnier is a former athlete and 20 year medical professional. Working now as a freelance writer, she brings her love for both sports and the medical field together in her writing.
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