Thursday night's Steelers-Browns game, Cleveland quarterback Colt McCoy sustained the kind of devastating helmet-to-helmet blow that chills even the most hardened NFL fan.
As seen in the video above -- which requires a strong stomach to watch -- McCoy rolls left out of the pocket and dumps the ball to his running back a split second before being nearly decapitated by Pittsburgh linebacker James Harrison. McCoy lay flat on his back for minutes after the play, occasionally flailing his arms and legs in either pain or confusion. Harrison, who'd been leading with his helmet, was flagged for a personal foul.
What the video doesn't show is an equally shocking development just three plays later: McCoy returning to the huddle, hoping to lead the Browns out of a 7-3 deficit. Instead, he soon threw an interception, essentially sealing the Steelers' 14-3 win.
The NFL is still trying to figure out how to deal with its concussion problem, as well as the unknown number of players who have suffered brain damage. Cleveland coach Pat Shurmur's call to put McCoy back out on the field raises an important question: Could a shaken McCoy even be capable of making clear-headed decisions in the interest of his own health?
