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**RoyWilliams** · 09-21-2007, 02:13 PM

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Brett Favre, who is in his 17th NFL season, knows plenty about the impact that concussion/head injuries can have on a player. He's been as beat up on the football field as anyone, gutting his way through countless stingers, broken digits, injured ankles, ribs and knees.

So it's no wonder Favre is somewhat suspicious of the divine claim made by Lions quarterback Jon Kitna: That the "hand of God" healed the Detroit starter's second-quarter concussion during halftime Sunday and allowed him to lead his team to a 20-17 win over the Vikings.

"I've never felt anything like that, and for it to clear up and go right back to as normal as I can be is nothing short of a miracle," Kitna said. "I just definitely feel the hand of God. That's all it was. You can't explain it.

"I have no headaches, no symptoms, no lingering effects. But that was the worst my head has ever felt, and the worst my memory was in the second quarter. Yet, after halftime there was nothing."

Detroit is 2-0, which could be considered miraculous enough, and coach Rod Marinelli has a lot of confidence in Kitna as a leader.

But Favre, like a lot of others across the NFL, is questioning the wisdom of allowing a player with obvious concussion symptoms back on the field minutes after he was injured.

Kitna said he felt "out of it. I didn't know anything. I lost coherence," after the hit. Kitna then said "it went back to normal and cleared up like it never happened."

Favre's reaction: "Even if the player wanted to go back in - I'm a perfect example. Several years ago we played the Giants (in Green Bay, and) I received a concussion I think in the second quarter. When the cobwebs started going away a little bit, I was on the sidelines and the offense was on the field. Two plays later, I ran on the field. It was fourth down, which I didn't know. Threw a pass, threw a touchdown. Never played the rest of the game.

"I wanted to. Felt like I could have played. It started coming back to me. But our doctors refused to let me. They really had no choice."

The NFL this season has tightened guidelines on the treatment of concussions, including more stringent on-field exams. In response to the pressures NFL players often feel to remain on the field despite concussion symptoms, the league also created a telephone hotline that can be used to report incidents when coaches may be coercing an athlete to practice or play against medical advice.

Marinelli described Kitna's concussion last week as "mild" and said the quarterback successfully passed all follow-up baseline tests.

But the Lions set a poor example by allowing Kitna to return so quickly following a head injury. The pressure to "suck it up" and play already is great, and players at the high school or college level may not be as closely monitored as their NFL counterparts.

Kitna has given them the false impression that head injuries can be shaken in a matter of minutes. Divine intervention or not, it's a dangerous and irresponsible message.

Ive read a lot of people looking down on the Lions for putting him back in there. What are your guys' thoughts?

**Dawardoe** · 09-21-2007, 05:21 PM

Yea, he showed alot of heart out there and it eventually made the Lions 2-0 but was it really worth it? Imo no, he had a concussion and was taking a chance of injuring himself bad enough where maybe he wouldn't ever play again. At the moment it was "Heroic" but, once you look back it was honestly a bad decision. But hey, look on the bright side, the Lions are 2-0.

**falconstorm** · 09-21-2007, 05:41 PM

Very bad decision IMO. They put him jeopardy of seriously injuring himself or something worse. Yes he played well the rest of the game, but man imagine him getting hit like that again. Horrible just horrible to put him back in.

**Dawardoe** · 09-21-2007, 05:53 PM

I agree, FS

**falconstorm** · 09-21-2007, 06:04 PM

Its true, I remember once a coach put a player in that we were playing against after he had a concussion. He took a hit and he ended up in the hospital and in acoma.

**Dawardoe** · 09-21-2007, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by falconstorm

Its true, I remember once a coach put a player in that we were playing against after he had a concussion. He took a hit and he ended up in the hospital and in acoma.

Thats crazy... yesterday a kid on my team dislocated his knee. I guess it was completly to the side.

**falconstorm** · 09-21-2007, 06:27 PM

Yeah man there is no point in putting a person's life in danger.

**Dawardoe** · 09-21-2007, 06:32 PM

Nope no reason at all.

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