ENLARGE Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers lies on the turf after getting hit hard by Darian Stewart of the Denver Broncos and Shaquil Barrett. Photo: John Leyba/Getty ImagesThe NFL and the NFL Players Association will both review the Carolina Panthers’ medical response to a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cam Newton to examine whether or not concussion protocol was properly followed in the team’s 21-20 loss to the Broncos on Thursday night. During the game, Newton took a series of hits to the head, only one of which drew a penalty. The issue comes at a time when player safety—especially head injuries—are under increasing scrutiny and the league has promised more thorough systems to protect players. The response to Newton’s treatment Thursday raises questions about the effectiveness of those measures, both in terms of penalizing illegal hits and ensuring players are properly examined before returning to the field.

Source: Wall Street Journal September 11, 2016 22:52 UTC