NFL Player Shares the Scariest Part of a Concussion
"Honestly, it's been terrifying not remembering what happened. I can't recall the last play I was in on the field, and yes, that's a bit scary," explained the 21-year-old rookie, who is experiencing his first season with the Giants.
Malik Nabers, wide receiver for the New York Giants, admitted how scared he felt when he couldn’t remember anything from the play in which he suffered a concussion during the Week 4 game, where his team lost to the Dallas Cowboys, causing him to miss the last two games of the NFL season.
Nabers suffered the concussion on September 26 during a play where, while attempting a great catch on a pass from Daniel Jones, his hands were occupied holding the ball to secure the catch, causing his face, protected by the helmet's facemask, to hit the field directly.
"The last thing I remember was Jones throwing me the ball. That was it; after that, I don't remember anything," said the first-round draft pick by the New Yorkers in April during an interview with NBC's 'Pro Football Talk.'
The player missed the team's next two games due to experiencing pain and throbbing sensations in his head after the incident.
Last Thursday, he was cleared from the concussion protocol, stating that he felt ready to return to the field this Sunday in the game where the Giants will host the Philadelphia Eagles.
"My health is truly the most important thing, so I wasn't frustrated. Now I’m really ready to get back on the field," he noted.
As one of the safety measures Nabers has adopted to return to play, he changed the helmet model he used to better protect himself from future concussions, though he also ruled out the possibility of using a 'Guardian Cap,' a padded protection that several players have worn during regular season games to reduce the force of head impacts.
"I changed helmets, so I’m not sure if I need a 'Guardian Cap' because I have a new helmet; that’s the decision I made," he commented.