New England Patriots wide receiver DeVante Parker is unhappy with how the NFL handled his concussion on Monday.
Parker was knocked out of last night’s game against the Arizona Cardinals by a hard hit in the first half. He was clearly unsteady on his feet and confused as he tried to line up for the ensuing play, and it took teammate Nelson Agholor getting the officials’ attention for the game to be stopped.
The NFL and NFLPA are investigating why the on-site spotter did not call for Parker to be taken out. The veteran wideout isn’t waiting for the results of that inquiry before putting the league on blast.
“Get on y’alls f—-n job @NFL,” Parker wrote on his Instagram story. “Thankful my brother was aware of the situation.”
Parker’s stern words have sparked commentary from fans and media alike.
“This is so important because a concussed player can’t be expected to handle the situation responsibly,” said Packers writer Peter Bukowski. “They’ve got a brain injury. That’s what the NFL’s spotters are supposed to be for. Players WANT to be protected.”
“Nelson Agholor: Teammate of the Year,” one Pats fan tweeted.
“Wow. The guy got up from the hit and was tilting sideways and wobbling. How did they not see that?” said another.
“No excuse for the NFL Concussion watchers,” added a third. “That was abysmal and dangerous on their part. They should be ashamed of themselves. Someone in the NFL needs to be fired IMMEDIATELY.”
Parker is the second Patriots wide receiver to suffer a concussion recently, joining Jakobi Meyers, who missed last night’s game.
Both of their statuses for Week 15 are TBD.