ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — In the past 10 to 15 years or so, closer examination of in-game brain injuries has concluded there is no such thing as a "mild" concussion.
But even in the old days of the NFL, when two fingers were the standard evaluation and smelling salts were the cure, the concussion suffered by Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson early in the fourth quarter Sunday would be defined as "serious."
9NEWS cameras showed that Wilson appeared to be knocked out, if even only for a second.
"I believe it looked like it on the film,'' Broncos head coach Nathaniel Hackett said in his day-after-game press conference Monday when asked if Wilson was unconscious. "I haven't gone in and talked with the medical doctors entirely. We'll get all those medical reports as we move forward. But for us, his safety is the No. 1 biggest priority for us so we want to make sure we do what's right for him."
Wilson is in the concussion protocol, but there have been instances, even with today's enhanced protocols, that a player can receive a head injury on Sunday and be cleared to play the following Sunday.
That may not be advisable in Wilson's case, even if the quarterback does clear the protocols by the time the Broncos play Sunday afternoon against the Arizona Cardinals at Empower Field at Mile High.
"He felt great today when we saw him,'' Hackett said. "He looked great but we want to make sure we do everything the right way."
Gamely trying to bring the Broncos back from a 27-0 deficit against the heavily favored Kansas City Chiefs -- and nearly doing it -- Wilson's head injury on a play where took off running right for a 14-yard gain to the Chiefs' 2-yard line. He was tackled from behind by Chiefs 272-pound defensive end Frank Clark in a manner that Wilson's head slammed into the grass field. The network cameras caught a close-up of his groggy eyes, and 9NEWS had a shot where Wilson seemed to be momentarily asleep.
Wilson seemed groggy as he got up but he came to and even started jogging briefly on the sidelines before he was ruled out of the game by an independent neurologist and team doctors.
There is much for the Broncos to consider besides medical clearance before they put Wilson in harm's way Sunday against the Cardinals. One, the Broncos are 3-10 to join the Texans and Bears as the only three teams already officially eliminated from the playoffs.
Two, even with missing one game this season, Wilson is the NFL's most sacked quarterback with 43. And against the Chiefs, the Broncos used not one, not two but three left guards in place of the injured Dalton Risner. Wilson took six sacks and between him and backup Brett Rypien, Broncos quarterbacks took 11 hits.
Even with no concussion it may not be safe for Wilson to play against the Cardinals.
"Russell is in the concussion protocol and we're going to do everything the way the medical doctors say, the independent doctors,'' Hackett said. "We're going to do everything we can. His safety is by far the No. 1 most important thing. We'll continue to talk to him, to everybody else about that and make sure we do the right thing."
Rypien came in for Wilson and threw a fourth down, 7-yard touchdown pass to Jerry Jeudy to draw the Broncos within 34-28, but that's how the game ended.
Hackett also said "it doesn't look good" for running back Mike Boone to return anytime soon after his second high ankle sprain in two months. Boone left the home locker room Sunday evening with a crutch and a boot on his injured ankle.
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