The NFL has come a long way when it comes to handling players who have suffered concussions. The road as a practical matter began 15 years ago tomorrow.

On October 28, 2009, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith were called to testify in Congress about professional football’s approach to brain injuries.

Testimony at times focused on whether the NFL would admit a link between concussions and future health problems. Although Dr. Ira Casson, then chairman of the NFL’s concussion committee, did not testify at the hearing (there was a fight if Congress asked to be there), a member of Congress played an earlier clip in which Casson denies a link between multiple head injuries and brain disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Smith was much more candid on behalf of the NFLPA, saying the union “didn’t do its best in this area” and, “We’re going to do better.”

It wasn’t enough to defuse the rhetoric from at least one member of Congress. Deputy Linda Sánchez said during the hearing: “It doesn’t remind me of the tobacco companies before the 90s when they said, ‘Oh, there is no link between smoking and harm to health.’

The hearing forced the NFL to make changes. He started with a new set of rules for returning to action after suffering a concussion, a process that became the current concussion protocol. Over time, the protocol has been tweaked and improved to both ensure players don’t return until they’re ready — and to do a better job of getting players off the field after sustaining an injury. to the head

Less than two years after Congress got involved, the lawsuits began. A massive class action was eventually settled, creating a fund that provides benefits to players who suffer from certain cognitive problems without requiring them to prove that the condition is due to the game of NFL football.

At first, there were concerns that players would retire prematurely due to concussions. While several cited brain injury concerns when they retired later in their careers, only 49ers linebacker Chris Borland left a promising NFL stint early because of concussion issues.

By now, everyone knows the risks. As Tua Tagovailoa’s defiant return to action demonstrated most recently, they all know what they signed up for. And they kept signing up for it.

People are taking a lot more risk for a lot less money. And they have the right to do so. Unless and until they find someone who will allow them to play, any player who has suffered multiple concussions can keep coming back for more.

This does not mitigate the NFL’s obligation to remove players from the scrimmage and properly evaluate them during games before returning. The tension between ticking boxes to speed up the process and providing actual healthcare to players persists. There’s always a chance it will be.