The Houston Texans will not be disciplined by the NFL for how they handled the concussion symptoms of Tom Savage in Week 14.
Savage suffered the concussion in the second quarter, when he took a hit on third down that left him on the ground with his hands twitching. But Savage was allowed to re-enter the game after being checked on the sideline. Savage was taken to the locker room one series later.
Bill O'Brien said Savage was checked immediately after he took the hit, and he was cleared by the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant to return to the field.
The NFL and NFL Players Association, in a joint statement to confirm new changes to the concussion protocol, acknowledged that the outcome allowing Savage to return to the field was "unacceptable."
In the joint statement, the NFL and NFLPA said the medical staff saw the "initial broadcast video" but not the slow-motion replay that made clear Savage's fencing posture and the twitching of his hands.
The Texans put Savage on injured reserve before their Week 16 contest as he never practiced following the concussion.