NEW YORK (AP) Houston's Arian Foster and Jacksonville's Bernard Pierce both were on the field with potential head trauma in games last week.
The Texans running back returned to play on his own before the team's medical staff could evaluate him. The Jaguars running back showed no symptoms of a concussion until he attempted a block instead of trying to make a tackle on the punt unit.
The NFL said Wednesday both teams properly handled the concussion protocol once they had the opportunity to do so or suspected possible head trauma.
Houston's medical staff, including the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant, was preparing to evaluate Foster when he left the bench and ran back onto the field for two plays.
After that, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said, ''the player was subsequently ... escorted into the locker room, where medical staff conducted an evaluation in accordance with the concussion protocol. The medical staff cleared him to play and he returned to the field.''
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL
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