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SPORTS Friday 22 december 2017

Seahawks fined $100K for Wilson concussion violation

RENTON, Wash. (AP) — The everything was done in
Seattle Seahawks have the right way,” Wilson said
been fined $100,000 for not Thursday. “There was a lot
properly following concus- of confusion. I didn’t re-
sion protocol with quarter- ally understand why I was
back Russell Wilson during coming out of the game
a game in November. anyway. I was completely
The NFL and NFLPA an- clear. My jaw was a little
nounced their decision messed up. Other than
on Thursday following an that; that’s what they de-
investigation that lasted cided.” Wilson was hit in
more than a month. Along the chin by Arizona’s Karlos
with the financial penalty, Dansby, who was flagged
Seattle’s coaching and for roughing the passer.
medical staffs will be re- Referee Walt Anderson
quired to attend remedial sent Wilson off the field. But
training regarding the con- Wilson was in Seattle’s in-
cussion protocol. Seattle is jury tent for only a few mo-
the first team fined for such ments and he missed just
a violation. one play before returning
The investigation deter- to the field. “In this case,
mined that Wilson was al- through a series of commu-
lowed back on the field nication breakdowns, the
before a required evalua- protocol not followed,” NFL
tion was performed on the spokesman Joe Lockhart In this Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017, file photo, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) speaks
sideline. The Seahawks said said Thursday. “The player with head coach Pete Carroll, right, and assistant head coach Tom Cable during an NFL football
Thursday that it accepted was allowed to return to game against the Arizona Cardinals in Glendale, Ariz.
the results of the investiga- the game without going Associated Press
tion and that any missteps through the protocol, a always looking for ways to ward — when a referee re- that didn’t happen led to
in violating the protocol clear violation. make it better. In this case, moves a player, that play- some of the confusion and
were not intentional. “The protocol was signifi- all the medical person- er has to be received by led to him returning to the
“I guess that’s what they cantly strengthened over nel, coaches and referees medical personnel. It can’t game before he had prop-
decided to do. I thought the postseason, but we’re have been told going for- be to a coach. “The fact er examination.”q

NFL tells game officials not to

use index cards to measure

NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL veteran referee Gene Ster- tore said. “Using a piece of
has told its officials not to atore tried to slide what paper, that’s very unusual,”
use index cards or any oth- appeared to be an index Riveron said. “The last time I
er paper to aid in measure- card between the tip of saw it done was four to five
ments. In Sunday night’s the ball and the end of the years ago. That is not the
Cowboys-Raiders game, chain while measuring for a norm. Gene made the de-
first down. When the card cision strictly on visual affir-
didn’t slide through, Stera- mation that the ball made
tore signaled a first down the line to gain.
for Dallas. He said he had “I will advise them not to In this Sunday, Dec. 17, 2017, file photo, referee Gene Steratore
decided it was a first down use it again,” added Riv- (114) carries a folded piece of paper used to determine a
before the odd measure- eron, who replaced Dean measurement next to Oakland Raiders defensive end Khalil
ment. NFL officiating chief Blandino this season. Mack (52) during the second half of an NFL football game
Alberto Riveron on Thurs- “I have already done between the Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys in Oakland, Calif.
day confirmed what Stera- that.”q Associated Press