Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields was temporarily removed from Sunday night’s game to enter concussion protocol against the Dallas Cowboys after taking a vicious hit from Dallas Cowboys DE Tyrus Wheat to open the third quarter.
Dallas was flagged for roughing the passer. As Pittsburgh huddled for the next play, the officials stopped the game for a medical timeout. After some confusion and standing around as head ref Shawn Hochuli spoke with Fields, Fields was removed from the game and taken to the blue tent to be checked for a concussion.
Under NFL rules, the independent spotter who sits in the booth upstairs is able to call down and have a player removed if they believe the player suffered or potentially suffered a head injury. Backup QB Kyle Allen entered the game to take his first two snaps as a Steeler, handing the ball off once to RB Najee Harris before hitting TE Pat Freiermuth for a 19-yard strike over the middle of the field.
Allen is serving as the Steelers’ No. 2 quarterback with Russell Wilson inactive again as the team’s emergency third quarterback.
Fields then jogged back onto the field and replaced Allen. He looked strong after that, firing completions to WR Van Jefferson before hitting TE Connor Heyward for a 16-yard touchdown to put Pittsburgh on top, 10-6.
An odd drive to net your first touchdown of the day but the Steelers will take it.
UPDATE (11:37 PM): Per team spokesman Burt Lauten, Fields was cleared of a concussion and permitted to return.
