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NFL, NFLPA announce stricter concussion protocol policy

Joe Robbins / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The NFL and NFLPA have announced that a new, stricter policy to enforce concussion protocol will be put into place this season.

The new policy will set harsher disciplinary actions against teams that do not follow the Concussion Protocol, designed to ensure players receive care that reflects the most up-to-date medical conditions.

Under the new policy, the league and its players' association will each designate a representative to monitor implementation of the protocol and investigate any violations. The investigation will be to determine whether protocol was properly followed, not to determine medical conclusions.

Both parties agreed that commissioner Roger Goodell will still retain his discretion determining penalties for violation of the protocol.

Potential disciplinary actions include:

- A first violation will require the club employees or medical team members involved to attend remedial education; and/or result in a maximum fine of $150,000 against the club.

- Second and subsequent violations of the concussion protocol will result in a minimum fine of $100,000 against the club.

- In the event the parties agree that a violation involved aggravating circumstances, the club shall be subject, in the first instance, to a fine no less than $50,000. The Commissioner shall determine appropriate discipline for subsequent violations involving aggravating circumstances.

- In the event that the Commissioner determines that the club's medical team failed to follow the protocol due to competitive considerations, the Commissioner may require the club to forfeit draft pick(s) and impose additional fines exceeding those amounts set forth above.

Following the investigation of a potential violation, both parties will be required to agree on whether a violation occurred. If no agreement can be met, a third-party arbitrator will be brought in.

The new protocol is largely in response to last season's episode which saw Los Angels Rams quarterback Case Keenum stay on the field after suffering a concussion, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports.

The NFLPA used Keenum's case to threaten a malpractice claim against team doctors and league neurologists to gain enforcement of concussion rules, a source told ESPN's Ed Werder.

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