Could Chiefs lose draft picks over Chris Conley’s concussion?
By Matt Conner
The Kansas City Chiefs are under investigation from the NFLPA for their handling of Chris Conley’s concussion during the playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It was a scary moment for Chris Conley. When Sean Davis drilled him in the Kansas City Chiefs’ playoff loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers in January, Conley looked seriously affected and questions of a potential concussion were immediately raised. However, Conley seemed okay when he only missed a single play despite the hit.
Now, however, it’s clear that the team’s handling of Conley’s injury might not have been up to par for NFL standards. Back in late January, the NFLPA announced it was investigating the Chiefs’ handling of the concussion protocol for Conley during that game. It’s the sort of investigation that could lead to punishments ranging from classes for the Chiefs’ medical staff to a loss of draft picks.
Dr. David Chao recently wrote at the National Football Post that the Chiefs could once again become a model organization for instilling harsher punishment due to emphasis from the NFLPA:
"The Chiefs are being investigated now over their handling of Chris Conley. I know Kansas City has a quality medical staff and the head athletic trainer is the current President of the Pro Football Trainers Athletic Society. I do not know the specifics of their care during the Division Round game in question. However, don’t be surprised if penalties are assessed for the first time as that is the push of the NFLPA."
The heaviest punishment is something Chiefs fans are already familiar with since Roger Goodell has already taken draft picks from the team in the last year. The Chiefs were found guilty of tampering with then-free agent Jeremy Maclin in 2015, and the team consequently lost their third round choice in 2016 and their sixth round choice in 2017. Andy Reid, Clark Hunt and John Dorsey were all fined various amounts.
When Conley was asked after the game about the team’s concussion protocol, he said, “Yeah, they checked me out, but it was mostly a hit to my back and my ribs, not my head, so they just to check me out and do some x-rays on my ribs.”
You can see the hit for judge it for yourself below: