BEREA, Ohio — Browns quarterback Colt McCoy suffered a concussion on the helmet-to-helmet hit by Steelers linebacker James Harrison on Thursday night, but Browns coach Pat Shurmur said he sent him back into the game because he showed no concussion symptoms during a sideline exam.

“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 concussionlike symptoms.”

McCoy’s father, Brad McCoy, told The Plain Dealer on Friday that his son didn’t remember anything after the hit, including the interception in the end zone that could’ve been the game winner in the 14-3 loss.

“He never should’ve gone back in the game,” Brad McCoy said. “He was basically out [cold] after the hit. You could tell by the rigidity of his body as he was laying there. There were a lot of easy symptoms that should’ve told them he had a concussion. He was nauseated and he didn’t know who he was.”

But Shurmur said the symptoms didn’t surface until sometime after the game. He said McCoy told him on the sidelines that he was ready to go.

“When we were leaving the locker room is when I was made aware of it,” Shurmur said. “I’m usually the last one to leave.”

By then, McCoy had told reporters at his locker that he didn’t remember the helmet-to-facemask smash. One reporter asked him at his locker if he was OK, and he said, “I don’t know. I don’t know. I think I am.”

A few minutes later, McCoy was taken to the interview room, and TV cameramen were asked by a member of the public-relations staff not to use their lights. Reporters were also asked to keep the session brief.

But McCoy seemed coherent in answering questions and accurately described the interception. By the time the team arrived in Berea — about 2 a.m. — McCoy was woozy enough that teammate Evan Moore had to drive him home. By Friday morning, he drove himself to the Berea facility for further exams and was diagnosed with a concussion. By then, he couldn’t remember much about the end of the game.

Brad McCoy said Colt felt like he had let his team down, but he couldn’t recall quite how.

“I think these concussions or concussionlike symptoms — they’re different,” Shurmur said. “It could happen immediately, it could happen in hours, it could be a day later.”

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello told The Plain Dealer in an email response that “we will discuss it with the team” to see if the Browns violated the stringent NFL concussion guidelines. Players must meet certain requirements before they can go back in the game. Aiello also said he wouldn’t speculate on possible sanctions for the Browns if they violated the rules.

Brad McCoy, a lifelong high school football coach who coached Colt in junior high and high school, was upset that the Browns didn’t spend more time trying to evaluate whether McCoy was concussed. The actual time from the hit until McCoy trotted back out onto the field was three minutes, 50 seconds, including the several minutes he spent down on the field.

“Colt takes a severe hit like that, and he’s back in the game [two plays] play later?” Brad McCoy asked. “If he took another blow to the head, we could’ve been talking about his career here.”

Brad McCoy said when he first saw the hit, he thought Colt was done for the night. McCoy suffered a serious concussion in high school that kept him out of several games.

“I certainly didn’t think he’d be out only [two plays],”‘ he said. “It would’ve taken my high school trainer longer than that to determine if he was OK after a hit like that.”

Thursday’s hit was delivered by the same player that knocked receivers Mohamed Massaquoi and Josh Cribbs out of a game last October with concussions. Harrison was fined $75,000 for the hit on Massaquoi, which was later reduced to $50,000.

In the case of McCoy, Harrison drilled him in the facemask with his helmet, and McCoy went flying backward to the ground. He remained on his back for a few minutes while the medical staff tended to him. He was then helped off the field and went to the sidelines, where he remained for the two plays, which lasted about 80 seconds. He also suffered a bruise to his left hand on the play.

When he returned to the game, he ran two plays before the costly interception. On the ensuing drive, he threw two more apparent picks, but one was reversed by replay and the other was wiped out by a penalty. Brad McCoy said he was upset that the Browns said McCoy “was fine” after the game when he apparently wasn’t.

Shurmur said he can understand Brad McCoy’s feelings.

“I’m the father of a son who plays quarterback [freshman at St. Edward],” Shurmur said. “I wouldn’t put my son in harm’s way if he was showing those symptoms. I understand that. As far as us evaluating him, we didn’t see that. I understand the thoughts. I understand it extremely well. The McCoys are terrific people who love their son and want the best for him. I get that.”

He said that, at some point, he would reach out to Brad McCoy.

“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.”

Earlier in the game, the Browns followed protocol with tight end Ben Watson and fullback Owen Marecic and shut them down after concussions.

The Browns’ medical staff has been repeatedly praised by players such as linebacker Scott Fujita, Watson and Massaquoi throughout the season for how their concussions have been handled.

“They’re very professional, high-class people that do things the right way, and that’s why I trust them,” Shurmur said.

Regarding the hit by Harrison, Shurmur said, “I have some strong feelings about that that I’m not going to share.”

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter: mcabot@plaind.com, 216-999-4670

On Twitter: @marykaycabot

BEREA — The Cleveland Browns football team returns to its Berea training camp today with a 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. session.  

According to the Browns website, practices over the next three days will be from 8:45-11 a.m. Tuesday; Aug. 9, Wednesday, Aug. 10 and Thursday, Aug. 11.  The Friday, Aug. 12 session will be a closed practice.

The team’s first preseason game is at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13 at the Cleveland Browns Stadium.

For daily training camp updates, check the Browns’ website at clevelandbrowns.com. Practice session times may change.

Contact DuMound at (216) 986-7538.

More Berea stories

Return to Berea home page

 BEREA — Youngsters and adults will benefit from the rejuvenated playground at the Lou and Jackie Groza Park in Berea.

The playground, which was closed this week, is a joint reconstruction project between the city and the Cleveland Browns organization.

Mayor Cyril M. Kleem said he was having a discussion with a Browns’ executive when a potential joint project was mentioned. That led to the Groza athletic complex, which has been recently renamed the Lou and Jackie Groza Park.

“We have a very good relationship with the Browns,” said Kleem. “This is a generous effort they are doing. It is a nice fit.”

The playground and fitness zone site will include refurbished playground equipment as well as a new eight-station exercise area.

Jenner Tekancic, the Browns’ community outreach manager, said the city and the organization have a “great relationship” since the training facility is housed in Berea. She said the Browns organization is an integral part of the neighborhood and its outreach focuses on giving back to the community.

“We see this as an opportunity to refurbish this outdoor park to provide a great place for families and children to enjoy fitness in a safe environment.”

The site, which will be completed later this month, falls into the Browns’ annual Play 60 project that encourages families and children to do 60 minutes of daily activity to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Tekancic said the Browns will install a permanent sign at the site reading Cleveland Browns Play 60 Fitness Zone. Volunteers from city groups and Browns alumni will help build the project.

“The volunteers coming out to help in the project, with the city lending support, makes this a wonderful partnership,” Tekancic said.

Lou “The Toe” Groza, the Browns’ former placekicker, and his wife Jackie, lived and raised their family in Berea. Lou Groza died in 2000; Jackie, in August 2010.

See more Berea news at cleveland.com/berea.

Contact DuMound at (216) 986-7538.

More Berea stories

Return to Berea home page

BEREA — The Cleveland Browns will host the NFL High School Player Development National 7-on-7 Tournament on July 8 and 9. 

The tournament will be at the Cleveland Browns Training and Administrative Complex in Berea and the Cleveland Browns Stadium in downtown Cleveland.

This is the first time in the team’s history the tournament will appear locally.

The 24 teams representing their respective NFL clubs will participate in the annual tournament. The Browns team is included. This year will mark the largest tournament since the NFL created the program in 2004.

The first two sessions, set for July 8 and July 9, will take place in Berea. The July 9 semifinals and finals will occur later that night at the Cleveland Browns Stadium.

All teams will play seven exhibition games before single elimination tournament-style play begins at 11 a.m. July 8 in Berea.

Greg Pruitt, former Browns running back from 1973 to 1981, will address all participants on player development and life skills during the awards ceremony at 6:30 p.m. July 9 following the finals.

The Browns team includes students from North Olmsted, Parma, Parma Padua Franciscan, Shaker Heights, Solon, Akron North, Alliance, Canal Fulton Northwest, Canton Glen Oak, Canton McKinley and Sylvania Southview high schools.

Activities run from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 8 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. July 9 at the Berea complex, 76 Lou Groza Blvd. and 4:30-6 p.m. July 9 at the Cleveland Browns Stadium, 100 Alfred Lerner Way, Cleveland.

The events are free and open to the public.

See more Berea news at cleveland.com/berea.

Contact DuMound at (216) 986-7538.

More Berea stories

Return to Berea home page