In hopes of providing some semblance of privacy on a busy sideline, the
NFL will use on-field tents this season to serve as examination rooms for
players who might be concussed.
A small, collapsible tent will be positioned behind each team’s bench
for games, starting with the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday night between
Arizona and Dallas. The tent will be positioned around an examination
table, and can be pulled up like a hood then lowered when the medical
personnel are finished.
“It makes sense to have a little bit of privacy when you’re
doing an assessment, to try to reduce some of the distractions that can
occur, just visually,” said Dr. Vernon Williams, director of the
Los Angeles-based Kerlan-Jobe Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine.
“It gives you a quiet environment so the players can hear the questions
and focus on the answers. You can actually darken it a little bit, so
you can get a look at eyes and pupil responses. So from a medical standpoint,
I think it’s beneficial.”
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