Colt McCoy Injury: Browns QB Ruled Out For Finale Against Steelers

The season is officially over for quarterback Colt McCoy, as of Friday, he's not been cleared to practice with the rest of the Cleveland Browns, and head coach Pat Shurmur has deemed him out for the Week 17 finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. McCoy has said repeatedly that he wanted to return for Sunday's game against the AFC North rivals, but following a concussion, the team's medical staff has to be strict, and McCoy is most definitely a no-go.

Seneca Wallace will get the start at quarterback, as has been the case the last two games. Against the Arizona Cardinals, Wallace threw for 226 yards and a touchdown, while throwing for significantly less (147 yards) against the Baltimore Ravens, with an interception on top of his touchdown. Still, the offense has been moving well under Wallace, and the Browns found themselves firmly in both games, losing to Arizona in overtime.

There was doubt that McCoy would get the start even if he was active on Sunday.

McCoy suffered a concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 8, and after a lot of scrutiny following McCoy's return to that game, the team hasn't cleared him for a single practice since then. The helmet-to-helmet hit that got Steelers linebacker James Harrison suspended for one game effectively made McCoy miss three weeks of action, ending his season.

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Colt McCoy missed practice on Thursday and his status for the season finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team he suffered the injury against, is up in the air.

McCoy spoke to the media for the first time since the injury occurred, responding to concerns over how the team trainers handled it initially:

"Our medical staff does an outstanding job and that should never be in question," said McCoy, speaking for the first time since he was diagnosed with the concussion. [...]

"I just don't want to go there guys," McCoy said. "I really don't want to recreate anything. I don't even want to think about it. I can tell you that I'm feeling a lot better, especially of late. I really feel like I'm coming out of this, and I hope to at least be able to be out there this weekend and help my team."

Of course, McCoy isn't going to throw his team or its trainers under the bus, but it sounds like he has no hard feelings and respects that they're doing everything they can to keep potential risks at bay.

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The possibility of Colt McCoy playing on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers has lessened significantly. The Browns quarterback was absent from practice on Thursday morning, lowering his chances that he will play on Sunday in the season finale at home:

McCoy was not cleared for practice Wednesday. Coach Pat Shurmur said the closer it gets to game time, the more he is leaning toward starting Wallace again if McCoy's status doesn't change. McCoy told him he wants to play Sunday.

SB nation's Dawgs By Nature also commented on McCoy's status late Tuesday night:

In terms of evaluating him though, there's probably not much of a reward from rushing him back to action given the team's record.

The Browns have very little to play for other than pride on Sunday, but backup Seneca Wallace has been effective int he last two games for Cleveland. The Browns' offense has been more effective under Wallace, scoring 17 and 14 points after weeks of 3 and 10.

For more on the Browns, visit Dawgs by Nature. Check out SB Nation NFL for more news and notes around the league.

As of Thursday morning Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy has not yet been cleared to play on Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers. McCOy has yet to pass the requisite concussion tests, and that means that Seneca Wallace will likely start the season finale for the Browns:

"He's trying to get back as quickly as he can," said coach Pat Shurmur. "And he's expressed that. He wants to get out there and get competing. He's expressed that, sure."

A start by Wallace would be a third straight, and though Cleveland is out of the playoff hunt they can still damage their bitter rivals' postseason chances. Pittsburgh needs a win and a Baltimore loss to clinch the AFC North and a first round bye int he AFC playoffs. They could clinch home field advantage throughout the AFC if New England also loses. A Cleveland victory would likely send the Steelers on the road for three straight weeks in the playoffs.

There was some hope that the Cleveland Browns would get quarterback Colt McCoy back and cleared for physical activity on Wednesday, but now that hope has been stamped out. McCoy was not cleared for anything other than normal workouts - which means no practicing with the team or individual work with trainers that include football activity. Wednesday marks the first practice of the week, and when a player suffers as big a concussion as McCoy appeared to, it's not a good sign going forward.

With only one game left to go, and not being cleared on Wednesday, it's unlikely that McCoy will be available for the Browns on Sunday. In his place, Seneca Wallace will likely make his third-straight start since McCoy suffered the injury from a helmet-to-helmet hit by Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison on Thursday Night Football and has not played since that game.

There's doubt that McCoy would even be the starter if cleared to play on Sunday, as Wallace has been playing well in his absence, despite an 0-2 mark this season.

The Cleveland Browns are hoping that quarterback Colt McCoy could return to action for the final week of the season. On Monday, head coach Pat Shurmur said that McCoy worked out at team facilities and attended team meetings, same as everyone else, according to Mary Kay Cabot. That's definite progress for McCoy, who hasn't been doing anything team-related since suffering a concussion against the Pittsburgh Steelers just a couple weeks ago.

McCoy hasn't practiced yet - nobody does until Wednesday when the whole team meets for a full practice. There's no word on whether or not McCoy would be cleared to practice by Wednesday, but even if he is, there's no guarantee that he'll be taking the starter's reps. And that's not because he might not be 100% healthy, either. Seneca Wallace has played well in relief for McCoy, and might have earned the final start of the season over McCoy based on them.

If McCoy were to play, he'd be once again faced with linebacker James Harrison, who was the player to injure McCoy on a helmet-to-helmet hit, which he was suspended one game for.

Though there was actually little hope that he'd be able to play regardless, Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy has officially been ruled out by the team for Saturday's game against the AFC North rival Baltimore Ravens. McCoy didn't practice at all this week after suffering a concussion following a brutal helmet-to-helmet hit from Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison on Thursday Night Football.

It's likely that, even if McCoy had been medically cleared to play, the team would have been careful with him after being so thoroughly chastised for letting McCoy go back into Thursday's game following the hit. Following the game, many were upset about the fact, including McCoy's father, who said the second-year quarterback told him that he didn't remember anything following the hit. Not to mention the fact that McCoy's replacement played well in his absence.

That is to say, Seneca Wallace may have earned more starting time when he nearly led the Browns to a victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. Arizona would end up winning in overtime, but it was a close game regardless and Wallace gave the offense a spark it didn't have with McCoy at the helm. 

James Harrison is one of the most controversial figures in the NFL. His multiple suspensions for illegal hits have drawn the ire of many fans, but in response to his latest suspension that injured Browns quarterback Colt McCoy, Harrison believes the Browns should be punished as well. The Browns have struggled in their handling of McCoy's injury, specifically since he returned to the game in which he was injured. Harrison feels that should be reasoning for the league to punish the Browns:

Harrison said he understands that the hit was illegal but wondered why the Browns let McCoy return to the game so quickly despite the severity of the collision. The 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year says if he was suspended, the Browns should also face penalties from the league.

Harrison served a one game suspension this past Monday night for the hit that injured McCoy. McCoy has not played since the hit and is questionable for Saturday.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy is still not healthy enough to practice, as he didn't work out with the team on Wednesday. McCoy missed another practice with a concussion, adding fuel to the fire of the rumors that McCoy wouldn't be in action on Saturday against the Baltimore Ravens, but that Seneca Wallace would be getting the start instead. Head coach Pat Shurmur said nothing other than that McCoy did some "light physical activity" and that was it.

If McCoy can't go, it would definitely be Wallace starting for Cleveland. He played well in last week's game against the Arizona Cardinals, going 18-for-31 for 226 yards and a touchdown. The offense had a spark with him at the helm, something it's been lacking as McCoy has struggled over the weeks. There's a good chance he could get the starting nod even if McCoy is cleared to play.

McCoy is still recovering from a concussion stemming from a helmet-to-helmet hit from James Harrison on Thursday Night Football. Harrison was suspended and missed Monday's game against the San Francisco 49ers due to the hit.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy's status remains uncertain for Saturday's game against the Baltimore Ravens after lingering effects from a concussion, and his status also remains uncertain within the team's depth chart at quarterback.

Indeed, coach Pat Shurmur did not commit to starting McCoy when he is fully recovered from his concussion, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

"I'm going to cross that bridge when they're both healthy," said Shurmur. "Right now, until Colt's healthy, we're going to go with Seneca."

Asked specifically if McCoy will start Saturday against the Ravens if healthy, Shurmur said, "If Colt is OK -- when Colt is OK -- we'll talk about that," said Shurmur. "How's that? Good answer?"

Shurmur spoke highly of Seneca Wallace after the 31 year-old threw for 226 yards and a touchdown while starting in place of the injury McCoy in a 20-17 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. However, Shurmur went on to note that Cleveland only dropped one of Wallace's passes, and it should also be noted that Wallace had running back Peyton Hillis in the backfield rushing for 99 yards, so all things were not necessarily equal.

So while McCoy may not be out as the starting quarterback for good in Cleveland, it is clear that Shurmur is not interested in declaring that McCoy is the starting quarterback in Cleveland at this point either.

After missing Sunday's game against the Arizona cardinals Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy is still questionable going forward the rest of the season. Browns coach Pat Shurmur admitted on Monday that McCoy's status was still in question for Saturday's game with the Baltimore Ravens, and he is officially day-to-day going forward:

"Colt’s progressing and he’s day-to-day," Shurmur said. "He’s improving. It’s too early to tell if he’ll practice (Wednesday)."

McCoy didn’t travel to Arizona and missed his first game of the season. ESPN reported that McCoy was close to being cleared to play. All that Shurmur confirmed was that McCoy was treated over the weekend.

Shurmur hoped that McCoy would be able to play later this season, if not against Baltimore than in the season finale against Pittsburgh. He feels that McCoy's return would be beneficial for his further development, but has not ruled out that Seneca Wallace could be the starter for the season's final two games.

It's official: the Cleveland Browns will be without quarterback Colt McCoy on Sunday, when they take on the Arizona Cardinals. Head coach Pat Shurmur ruled McCoy out with a concussion after sending him home from practice for the third-straight day. McCoy still has lingering effects of the concussion, and even with the long rest following last week's Thursday Night Football game, he's not ready and has not taken a snap in practice since then.

McCoy took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison on Thursday. There's been a lot of controversy because McCoy eventually went back into the game and played, throwing an interception in the endzone. Following the game, McCoy struggled with the lights at the postgame press conference, and told his father that he didn't remember anything following the hit, including his interception.

In his place, Seneca Wallace will get the start against Arizona. This might spell the end of McCoy's time in Cleveland, considering the thought that the team was going to evaluate him over the last couple weeks to see if he's the quarterback of the future.

The big news for the Cleveland Browns right now is the injury to quarterback Colt McCoy, a concussion sustained on Thursday Night Football against the Pittsburgh Steelers. On Thursday, McCoy was sent home before practice, which is not a good sign for his status on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. McCoy took a vicious shot to the head by Steelers linebacker James Harrison, and there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the team's decision to send him back into the game after the hit.

If McCoy misses another practice, it's likely that he won't be in action on Sunday. His backup, Seneca Wallace, has been taking all the snaps in practice and would get the start in McCoy's absence. That would make Thad Lewis the No. 2 quarterback. Even if McCoy is cleared to play somehow, it's unlikely that he'd be in action, as he's not yet reached the level where he can really play without preparation and practice snaps.

Harrison was suspended for one game following the helmet-to-helmet hit on McCoy.

Cleveland Browns president Mike Holmgren addressed the media this morning to discuss the team's position on Colt McCoy's concussion suffered against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Holmgren stated that McCoy was not examined or tested for a concussion during last Thursday's game.

Holmgren's press conference was to clarify the situation, and he stated the Cleveland's doctors did not see the play where McCoy was injured. Holmgren called his training staff the best in football, but that he was troubled why the media was accusing his training staff of failing to evaluate McCoy properly. The trainers and doctors said McCoy was lucid and that he was complaining about a hand injury. They stated McCoy was coherent when they arrived, and while McCoy was on the bench the SCAT test was not administered.

Holmgren was adamant that the Browns staff followed protocol and did not administer concussion tests because of the way McCoy was acting on the sidelines. The trainers did not see the hit, and that McCoy had no indication of the concussion.

Holmgren also stated that the Browns met with the Player's Union and the union observer did not phone the bench because the trainers were already on the scene. He stated that it was not "business-as-usual" with the Browns concerning the issue.

With the questions surrounding the Cleveland browns for the way they handled Colt McCoy's concussion last Thursday evening, the Browns themselves have decided to address the media. According to the Browns' official Twitter account, president Mike Holmgren will address the media live on ClevelandBrowns.com at 11:45 a.m. today:

The Cleveland Browns will receive a small amount of justice for the hit that Colt McCoy suffered on Thursday night. James Harrison, the Pittsburgh Steelers' linebacker that delivered the hit, has now been suspended for Monday night's game with the San Francisco 49ers:

Harrison becomes the first player to be suspended for a helmet-to-helmet hit at a time when the NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has attempted to enforce enhanced player safety rules.

Harrison cannot practice with the Steelers according to his suspension, and he now has three business days to appeal the suspension. Harrison also has a history of these types of hits. It is the fifth time he has been punished for an illegal hit to a quarterback. Harrison received a roughing the passer penalty for the hit during the game, but felt that should be enough.

McCoy's status going forward is questionable, as he missed practice with the Browns on Monday.

Colt McCoy suffered a concussion in the Cleveland Browns last game, an injury that needs to be treated just right to stave off long-term consequences. McCoy said after the game that he didn't really remember the injury that happened when James Harrison crushed him and was re-inserted into the game just a few plays later, but further scrutiny has brought more aboard.

DeMaurice Smith, the president of the NFL Players Association, sent NFLPA reps to Cleveland today to gather more information related to the treatment of Browns QB Colt McCoy according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. It's unclear exactly what they might be investigating, but the Browns have claimed they weren't at fault.

"If he would have shown symptoms of a concussion, then I wouldn't have put him back in the game, absolutely not," said Shurmur, who goes by the decision of the medical staff. "We go through the strict protocol to evaluate whether there are concussion like symptoms." [...]

"I can assure everyone that we followed the protocol," he said. "At one point during the game, I told Colt, 'I talk to you like I talk to my son.' In fact, I said that. I have a lot of compassion for our players."

Concussions are a serious injury that have negatively affected many NFL and NHL players in the recent years, making it all the more apparent that teams need to watch out for their players. It will be interesting to see what happens next if the NFLPA finds out the Browns didn't follow proper protocol.

After experiencing concussion-like symptoms following a hard hit during Thursday's loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy was absent from practice on Monday morning. The Browns' starter experienced significant symptoms of a concussion over the weekend, and now that he is missing Monday's practice his status for this week is in doubt:

McCoy suffered the head injury when Steelers linebacker James Harrison drilled him in the facemask with his helmet with a little less than six minutes left in the game. He remained down on the field for a few minutes and then spent only two plays -- totaling 80 seconds -- on the sidelines. Total time from the hit to returning to the game was 3:50.

If McCoy is unable to go on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, Seneca Wallace will draw the start. McCoy has since commented that he does not remember going back into the game after Harrison's hit and admitted that he should not have returned to action.

Colt McCoy took a nasty helmet-to-helmet hit from James Harrison on Thursday night, forcing him to exit the game. It looked for sure like he was concussed and that there was no way he would return to the game. That wasn't the case, though, as he came back two plays later.

After the game, the Browns requested that all the lights be turned down for McCoy's interview because he was suffering concussion-like symptoms (McCoy also told his father that he didn't remember anything after the hit). The concern, of course, is that the Browns didn't protect their own player by allowing McCoy back on the field after the hit. NFL Network cameras showed McCoy's hand getting looked at by trainers during the two plays he sat out, but it didn't appear that McCoy was checked at all for a concussion. Browns head coach Pat Shurmur says that wasn't the case and McCoy was tested: 

"If he would have shown symptoms of a concussion, then I wouldn't have put him back in the game, absolutely not," said Shurmur, who goes by the decision of the medical staff. "We go through the strict protocol to evaluate whether there are concussion like symptoms." [...]

"I can assure everyone that we followed the protocol," he said. "At one point during the game, I told Colt, 'I talk to you like I talk to my son.' In fact, I said that. I have a lot of compassion for our players."

Shurmur said he was going to talk to McCoy's father, who said there was no way his son should've been put back into the game, but it's possible Shurmur may have to answer to the NFL on this one, as well. 

On Thursday, Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy took a vicious hit to the helmet from Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison. McCoy went down, missed two plays, then came back in and threw an interception in the end zone three players later. McCoy's father, Brad, spoke out about his son's injury on Friday, saying that McCoy told him that he didn't remember anything about the hit and that he clearly should not have been in the game.

 "I talked to Colt this morning and he said, 'dad, I don't know what happened, but I know I lost the game. I know I let the team [down]. What happened?''    

Brad goes on to note that McCoy should never have been back in the game, that he was out cold after he took the hit and that anybody could tell that he was experiencing a concussion. He also expressed dissatisfaction with the way that head coach Pat Shurmur handled the postgame press conference.

If any of this is true, that's not only a bad sign for Colt, but clearly something that the coaching staff needs to answer for.