Did spotter make right call on Teddy Bridgewater? NFL doesn't think you need to know | Opinion
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The NFL doesn’t think you need to know.
When a team’s first offensive snap concedes a safety and it’s not the most disastrous part of the play, you know it’s a terrible start. That’s how Teddy Bridgewater’s day began and ended vs. the New York Jets last Sunday.
Days later, we’re still wondering why, since he passed concussion tests.
From the NFL - crickets.
Watching high above, the league-mandated spotter watching for injuries disqualified Bridgewater, saying he saw the quarterback stumble after being hit by cornerback Sauce Gardner and striking the side of his head on the turf.
Was the spotter correct? Did he overreact? Does the NFL have evidence to support or refute the decision?
We don’t know. We probably never will — even though, at one point, the league conceded we have a right to know.
Let me explain.
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Pool reports are supposed to shed light on NFL
An organization called the Pro Football Writers of America connects beat reporters of all 32 teams, giving us a greater voice collectively than we could ever have individually on how the league is covered. Within each of those 32 divisions is a chapter president, elected in a vote by those writers.
In Miami, that’s me.
Among my duties is to conduct gameday interviews with officials to explain confusing or controversial calls, such as the hit on Tom Brady last Sunday that resulted in a roughing-the-passer penalty. When such calls are made, the pool reporter receives an explanation from the referee or head of officiating. The NFL then distributes a transcript of their conversation simultaneously as a pool report to everyone covering that game.
Over the years, I’ve conducted a few such interviews, including on a controversial pass interference penalty on Nik Needham vs. the Jets and another first-down measurement that came down to millimeters. These interviews provide a valuable service for fans.
This brings us to last weekend.
As you’ve probably heard, the NFL announced modifications to the concussion protocol Saturday following two hits on Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. We all knew these changes, in the interest of player safety, meant erring on the side of caution and that sooner or later, someone would get riled up when their quarterback gets yanked from a game.
How right we were. That team was the Dolphins after one — one! — play. The thing about it, though, was Bridgewater desperately unleashed a pass while going down. Anytime such a throw is made, my first thought is always whether it’s intentional grounding. Since this hit occurred in Miami’s end zone, I knew a safety was in the cards, so I focused on the officials huddling. There appeared to be no reason to keep my binoculars on Bridgewater getting up and walking off.
CBS’ cameras and director thought the same thing, because if you were watching on live TV, you saw much of what I did. So when we found out Bridgewater “stumbled” and was done for the day, we had no choice but to take the NFL’s word for it.
But …
We soon learned the Bridgewater passed all concussion tests after being taken to the locker room. But the spotter’s ruling trumped all. Bridgewater was done.
It was around halftime that the idea of a pool report with the spotter occurred to me. I emailed a contact at the NFL, who promptly responded, saying he was in London for the Giants-Packers game and was passing along my concerns to colleagues in New York. I expected to hear from them later Sunday afternoon. I didn’t.
Two videos fail to show Teddy Bridgewater stumble
Late Monday afternoon, the plot thickened, thanks to two Miami TV stations. WSVN-Channel 7 sports anchor Josh Moser posted video shot by veteran cameraman Peter Hofener. In it, you could see Bridgewater get up, flash a thumbs-up signal twice, then jog off. NBC-6 sports anchor Ruthie Polinsky posted video obtained from her sister station in New York, which like Channel 7's video failed to show a stumble.
Minutes later, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel held his news conference. I informed him of the existence of the two videos and asked if he could shed light on the situation, perhaps based on his own film study of the game. Understandably, McDaniel said he wasn’t in the business of second-guessing the spotter.
At that point, I emailed the NFL contacts in New York, referring them to the two videos and pressing them for an explanation — not for The Palm Beach Post, but as a pool report for all South Florida media outlets.
“We will send you something,” came the reply.
That was the last transmission from the league.
Keep in mind, this isn’t just about the Jets game. The spotter’s call automatically placed Bridgewater in concussion protocol, making it virtually impossible for McDaniel to start Bridgewater this Sunday against the Vikings. McDaniel named rookie Skylar Thompson his starter.
All I, the other reporters, the Dolphins and you deserve is an explanation.
If the spotter was correct, fine.
If it’s difficult to say, fine.
If the spotter was mistaken, fine. Yes, fine, because a player’s safety must always come before any game.
A referee’s call can decide a game, which is why these pool reports exist. The same now goes for spotters. They need not explain every time a player gets yanked, but in a case such as this, it’s incumbent upon them to shed light.
The league builds trust this way.
Not in darkness.
Not in silence.
Hal Habib covers the Miami Dolphins for the Palm Beach Post. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.