Ron Rivera Comments on Handling of Cam Newton, Concussion Protocol vs. Saints

Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera did not take kindly to being questioned about his team's handling of Cam Newton and head injuries in general after the quarterback was checked for a concussion in Sunday's win over the New Orleans Saints before returning to the game.

"Don't question my integrity when it comes to these things," the Panthers coach said Monday in his press conference after being pressed on the issue, per Kevin Patra of NFL.com, adding that he felt he addressed the situation Sunday.

Newton absorbed a helmet-to-helmet collision from linebacker Michael Mauti on a scramble. He stayed in the game for three more plays, including a touchdown pass to Ted Ginn Jr., before heading to the locker room.

“[Newton] said, ‘If you’re going to check me, you’ve got to go with me,’ because he had to go to the restroom,” Rivera said Sunday, per Joseph Person of the Charlotte Observer. “They were going to [evaluate him] on the bench, but he had to urinate really bad. ... He went through the protocol. They did the questions and he was fine.”

Newton added, per Jarrett Bell of USA Today, "It’s a physical sport—I mean it’s not ballet. Football is a collision sport. But I’m fine, and I do not have a concussion. The referee [Brad Allen] did a tremendous job. Numerous times he kept asking me if I was alright. He kept looking at me in the eye to make sure I was focused."

Because Newton went to the locker room to be tested rather than going through the protocol on the sideline, there were logically more questions about the incident. Add in the fact that Newton looks to be the front-runner for the league MVP at the moment and is the most important player on the league's only undefeated team, and the big blow he suffered during the game was always likely to be a talking point.

Rivera is obviously done talking about it, though.