After getting absolutely walloped by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Bud Dupree shortly after getting rid of the football in Sunday’s Wild Card game, Miami Dolphins quarterback Matt Moore stayed flat on his back on the ground for several minutes. After finally getting to his feet after being checked over thoroughly by the Dolphins medical staff, Moore reentered the game after missing just one play and that shocked a lot of people considering how serious the league appears to be currently when it comes to players possibly suffering concussions.
The NFL announced on Monday that they arte initiating a review of application of concussion protocol following hit by Dupree on Moore and later in the day the NFLPA announced they would do so as well in a written statement.
“The NFLPA will review the application of the Concussion Protocols by Miami’s medical staff in connection with the hit by Pittsburgh’s Bud Dupree on Miami quarterback Matt Moore in Sunday’s Dolphins-Steelers game.”
This isn’t overly surprising and it will now be interesting to see if the NFL and NFLPA find any wrong-doing by the Dolphins medical staff as it relates to how the handled Moore on Sunday.
“I just got popped,” Moore said after the game when asked about the hit he received from Dupree during the second quarter. “I just needed a second there. I got checked out. I felt fine. It was more of my jaw than anything else. I felt good. I came back in and I was fine. He got me pretty good.”
While Dupree indeed did get Moore “pretty good”, the quarterback still played fairly well all things considered after being cleared quickly to return to the game. Some, however, apparently believe Moore “may not have completely had his wits about him” after the hit, according to Pro Football Talk.
Dolphins head coach Adam Gase said he didn’t think Dupree’s hit caused Moore any problems moving forward.
“I didn’t think so,” Gase said. “The fumble he was trying to, he saw the guy, and we busted the protection. He saw him, he even came back and said ‘I should have just taken the sack’ and then the interception, the guy made a great play; he was in the line of scrimmage, we’re running an 18-yard crossing route and the guy goes flying back and makes a pick. He made a great play. So, when they told me he was coming back in, I started talking to him, he was good. They went through the league, did their deal, then our trainers and he cleared everything.”
While he did fumble twice later on in the game, Moore still completed 23 of his 29 ensuing pass attempts after being allowed to return and in my opinion, really looked no worse for wear. He did, however, throw an ugly interception to Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier with 6:32 left in the third quarter.
As for Dupree, we’ll likely find out in the next day or two whether or not he’ll incur a fine for his hit on Moore.
