Goodwin’s concussion history not a major concern
Wide receiver Marquise Goodwin’s season ended Sunday with another concussion, but the 49ers say they aren’t concerned his history of head injuries could shorten his career.
In a season-ending win over the Rams, Goodwin, 27, sustained at least his fourth concussion since 2014 when he appeared to be knocked unconscious after taking a helmet-to-helmet hit from safety Blake Countess. Goodwin was taken to a Los Angeles hospital for precautionary evaluation, but released in time to greet teammates in the postgame locker room and return with them to the Bay Area.
His latest concussion marked the sixth time Goodwin reportedly has been placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol since 2014. In October, however, Goodwin told The Chronicle he’d had only three concussions in the NFL. He said his natural sensitivity to light had placed him in the concussion protocol twice in 2016 when he was with the Bills. It is possible for players suspected to have a concussion to be placed in the protocol without having a head injury.
On Tuesday, general manager John Lynch said the team wasn’t worried about the “career effects” of his concussions.
“I think Marquise has been sensitive about that before, that however many have been reported are (not) actually the case,” Lynch said. “We’ve looked into that. He took a tough hit the other day. He was more upset about not getting 1,000 yards than anything else. He’s doing good. I’m happy to report that, that he is in the protocol heading into the offseason, but he is doing well.”
Goodwin, whose breakout season included career highs in catches (56) and yards (962), had a concussion in a loss at Arizona on Oct. 1, but didn’t miss the next game.
On Sunday night, about two hours after the 49ers’ win, Goodwin said, via Twitter, that he had no post-concussion symptoms.
“The Lord protects his own,” he said. “I’m ok! No soreness, no headache, no memory loss, no anything.”
On Monday, Goodwin told reporters he felt “wonderful” and wasn’t worried during his hospital stay.
“My main concern was to get one of the nurses to pull up the game on her phone so I could watch it and see how the team was doing,” Goodwin said.
Unlike most players, Goodwin, who signed a two-year, $6 million contract in March, could pursue another athletic career. He finished 10th in the 2012 Olympics in the long jump. In 2016, he finished seventh at the Olympic trials and didn’t qualify for the Games in Rio.
In that October interview, he said he hadn’t considered returning to track.
“I really don’t think about that type of stuff,” Goodwin said. “It’s just not a big concern of mine. I’ll leave the game when I feel like I’m ready to. And hopefully, God willing, it will be my own will. Other than that, I really don’t think about that.”
Goodwin won the team’s Len Eshmont Award, which is awarded for courageous and inspirational play, and the Ed Block Courage Award. He also was given the Garry Niver Award for his professionalism and cooperation with the media.