Colts head coach Shane Steichen said on Monday that tackle Braden Smith and cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. are both in concussion protocol. Steichen said Smith also has a neck injury.
Smith was ruled out with a concussion in the second quarter of the Colts' 36-19 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Steichen said Ward reported concussion symptoms on Monday.
This marks the third time Ward has been placed in concussion protocol this season. He missed Week 2 after sustaining a concussion in Week 1, and after a freak collision with tight end Drew Ogletree during pregame warmups prior to the Colts' Week 6 game against the Arizona Cardinals was placed on injured reserve and missed Weeks 7-10 with his second concussion of the season.
"I think it's always concerning when you have that many concussions," Steichen said Monday. "We'll work through it with him and we'll go from there."
Ward said his second concussion of the season left him feeling dizzy for about a month following the injury; the initial collision knocked him unconscious and he had to leave the field in a wheelchair.
"I was throwing up, getting dizzy. I was getting dizzy for like a month," Ward said prior to his return in Week 12. "That wasn't normal. So that was like a real deal traumatic injury for me, lot of emotions and everything like that. So it was pretty tough, but I'm feeling good now."
Ward also said there were times he contemplated returning to football as he recovered from the concussion. Steichen, when asked if that was something he'd spoken about with Ward, said this:
"I have not. I'll talk to him this week."
Ward being in concussion protocol means the Colts two starting outside cornerbacks will both show up on this week's injury report as Sauce Gardner is working to come back from a calf injury sustained in Week 13. Gardner did not participate in practice last week, and Steichen said last week Gardner is expected to miss some time with the injury.
