NFL to review Panthers' medical handling of Newton hit

"Start thinking about the next one", said Rivera, whose team plays San Francisco on September 18. Panthers coach Ron Rivera echoed some of Cecil Newton's sentiments Friday afternoon, saying some of the hits on his star quarterback should have been called as penalties. He's expected to address the media on Wednesday.

Newton, the reigning league MVP, took at least four helmet-to-helmet hits during the 21-20 loss to the Broncos in a rematch of Super Bowl 50. "They concluded there were no indications of a concussion that would require further evaluation and the removal of the player from the game".

Former NFL head coach and current NFL Network analyst Steve Mariucci, who serves as part of the NFL's Player Safety Advisory Panel, also defended the league while speaking on TV, said the organization is trying to remove helmet-to-helmet contact from the game.

"If he had any problems I didn't see it", Kalil said. "I just don't think you can talk about player safety and have what unfolded".

"I'm not going to question the doctors, OK?" The first one came September 4, when Notre Dame wide receiver Torii Hunter Jr. took a brutal hit to the helmet from Texas safety DeShon Elliott. A flag was thrown but it was nullified because officials also called Newton for intentional grounding.

Under the policy, agreed on in July, if the NFLPA's findings dispute the league's findings, the union can appeal to a neutral arbitrator, who has the authority to discipline the Panthers and others who were responsible for Newton's well-being.

Rivera said Newton passed all of the tests. "He has the ball in his hand. if he carried the ball on the play before or not".

"That's what drives me nuts".

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - In the wake of their win over the Carolina Panthers in the season opener, the Denver Broncos have heard the "D" word tossed around plenty about their defense and how they play. "I give him the credit of being the great player he is that we better be in position to do a good job of tackling".

"It's insulting", Olsen said. "He's a quarterback that happens to be big". Earlier, he attended NFL Kickoff festivities in his role as pitchman for DirecTV, which sent out a video interview in which he was asked about the Broncos QB situation.

In his release, McCarthy, the league spokesman, pointed out the review is not a presumption of improper procedure. Rivera said. "There is a protocol. He's moving around pretty good today". Maybe we - fans and people like me who pay our bills, in part, because of this sport - aren't cogs in a system that encourages young men to do disgusting things to themselves for the sake of our entertainment. "A lot of it is him".