The NFL’s new injury timeout rule that gives medical spotters the authority to call down to the field and order an injury timeout if it appears that a player has a concussion has the potential to make a huge impact on the game: A key player could be removed from the field even if he insists that he’s fine, just because someone in the box upstairs thinks it looks like he suffered a concussion.
But NFL V.P. of Officiating Dean Blandino says the rule change probably won’t be as significant as people think. Blandino said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that trainers will use the authority sparingly, and it’s not expected to happen more than a few times in an entire season.