The NFL acknowledged Friday that concussions rose significantly during the 2022 regular season, a sobering outcome that aligned with a season-long public conversation about head injuries.
According to data released by the league, there were 149 concussions suffered over 271 games this season. That's an 18% jump from 2021 (126) and 14% higher than the three-year average (130) between 2018 to 2020.
NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills on Friday attributed the rise to a number of factors, including a protocol change that he said "broadened and strengthened" the definition of a concussion following a series of injuries suffered by Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.