Concussions are still a significant issue in the NFL, and despite more awareness, players continue to face them. New York Jets cornerback D.J. Reed confessed to playing despite experiencing concussion symptoms in 2023.
ESPN reporter Stephen Holder wrote an article on Friday, March 29 discussing why more players have started to report their own concussions. The article focused on players like Indianapolis Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson, who self-reported a concussion during a Week 2 game.
Holder also highlighted an example of a player doing the opposite. Reed admitted to not reporting his concussion symptoms before the Jets played the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, acknowledging that playing in a nationally televised game influenced his decision.
That decision ultimately backfired for Reed, as he ended up missing the following two games.
D.J. Reed Admitted He Was Wrong
Reed’s concussion symptoms worsened after playing through the Jets-Chiefs game. In hindsight, he now admits that he made a mistake by not reporting his symptoms.
“It didn’t feel right, but just the selfish part of me just wanted to play,” Reed said. “Reflecting on it, anytime you get a concussion, you have to remove yourself. Speaking to the doctors, that could have been bad. Something terrible could have possibly happened, so definitely a lesson learned.” told ESPNColts center and NFLPA executive committee member Ryan Kelly has been one of the stronger advocates among players for self-reporting concussion symptoms. He continues to advocate for players doing the right thing and keeping themselves safe.
“People saw a lot of those [former players] struggling later in life,” Kelly said. “I do think that players now think, ‘If this is what it takes, and then at 60, that’s what I look like, then no.’ I want to be able to remember my kids’ names. I want to be able to play with my grandkids. And that’s more important than playing with a concussion.”
Reed might have been disappointed to miss two games after not self-reporting his symptoms, but the long-term health impact for the Jets cornerback could have been much worse.
Concussions Are Still an NFL Issue
Even though teams and players are more aware of concussions in today’s NFL, that doesn’t mean there haven’t still been issues.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Former Kenny Pickett quarterback highlighted one of the bigger missed concussions from last season. Following a big hit during a game last December, Pickett was cleared to return to the field, only to later self-report his symptoms after playing another drive. Pickett went on to miss the following game but avoided more serious concussion-related issues by taking himself out of the game despite being cleared.
The NFL is hopeful that self-reporting will continue to help the league with concussions. Recent data showed that
of diagnosed concussions had some element of self-reporting, indicating that players are becoming more aware of the long-term issues that playing through a concussion can have. 43 percent With that kind of increase in self-reporting, the league and its players can continue to keep themselves safe as the NFL continues to learn more about concussions.
D.J. Reed, a cornerback for the New York Jets, confessed that he continued playing despite experiencing symptoms of a concussion in 2023, which caused him to miss the following two games.
