NFLPA and NFL Clash Over Medical Treatment Dispute Following Chiefs-Ravens Game
Chiefs Respond to Van Noy’s Criticism
The Kansas City Chiefs had kept a low profile after Baltimore Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy expressed sharp criticism regarding the team’s medical response to an eye injury he sustained during the NFL season opener at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. However, on Friday, Chiefs trainer Rick Burkholder broke his silence, addressing Van Noy’s grievances head-on from the media room at the team’s practice facility in Kansas City.
Burkholder responded forcefully to Van Noy’s criticism, emphasizing his respect for the Ravens and their medical staff. “We respect the Ravens, respect their medical staff,” Burkholder stated. “I respect Kyle as a player and I’m pretty upset that he was upset. I’ve talked at length with their doctors and actually exchanged text messages with (Ravens coach) John Harbaugh to clear the air.”
Details of the Medical Response
Van Noy, who appeared on his podcast “McCoy and Van Noy” on Wednesday, had labeled the Chiefs’ medical staff’s handling of his injury as “unprofessional.” The 33-year-old linebacker voiced his disappointment, saying, “When you get hurt, especially something that could be serious like mine was, you’re supposed to rely on the (home) team’s training staff or their doctors. They took an entire quarter to get down to talk to me in the locker room, which to me is unacceptable. Because then you start thinking, ‘What if I was trying to go back in the game? What if I was really, really hurt?’”
Burkholder addressed these concerns directly, clarifying the situation. “It’s not mandated in the NFL to have an ophthalmologist or a dentist in the stands,” Burkholder explained. “We do that as a courtesy to both teams. It’s not mandated by the NFL or the NFLPA.” He further detailed the sequence of events, stating, “When he went down, I went out there because I thought he had a head or neck injury. I asked their physician if they needed an ophthalmologist. They didn’t at the time. They evaluated him, and then when they wanted an ophthalmologist we made a phone call up into the stands and got the ophthalmologist to the locker room in 12 minutes.”
Despite Burkholder’s detailed explanation, he did not take questions from the press following his remarks. Meanwhile, NFLPA executive director Lloyd Howell supported Van Noy’s position, asserting that on-site medical treatment should be administered “as quickly as possible” and suggesting that the situation fell short of this standard.
In response, the NFL criticized the NFLPA’s stance. “It’s disappointing the NFLPA would publicize unsupported conclusions without attempting to understand the facts,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “We have reviewed the case with the Chiefs’ and Ravens’ medical staffs and are comfortable he received appropriate care.”
The ongoing debate highlights the complexities of medical management in high-stakes NFL games and underscores the importance of clear communication between teams and their medical personnel.