The NFL announces that the number of concussions rose sharply in the past regular season – and gives reasons why.

Now it’s official: The number of concussions in the NFL increased significantly last year.

This was announced by the league on Friday. According to the league, there were 149 concussions in 271 games in the past regular season.

This means that a player suffered this serious injury in more than every second game. Compared to the previous season (126), the number represents an increase of 18 per cent (126).

Compared to the three-year average between 2018 and 2020 (130), the number of concussions is up 14 percent.

NFL: Tua injury leads to more concussion diagnoses

These findings are sobering at first, but they are consistent with the impressions of experts and observers.

Tua Tagovailoa has been diagnosed with a concussion twice this season alone. The Miami Dolphins quarterback suffered serious head injuries in Week 4 and Week 16.

It was Tagovailoa’s injury from Week 4 that ultimately led to the huge increase in the number of concussions, according to NFL chief medical officer Dr Allen Sills.

According to Sills, this led to a sharper definition of a concussion. This has now been “expanded and strengthened”, he said.

“We are becoming more cautious and conservative in our assessment and diagnosis of concussions,” Sills said. “This is not just opinion. It’s backed up by the data. “