Injury-Timeout Procedure

[BoBo]

Was just curious how everybody else handles when a player is injured. You have an official timeout obviously, but what do you or do you not allow as far as conferences between coaches and players. The coach is not allowed out onto the field other than attending to the injured player. But are players allowed to go to the sideline to have a conference. Or players can come to say the hash mark to confer. Especially if you know the player will be down for a while.

Form reading Rule 3-5-9 I believe " An authorized conference may be held during a charged timeout or an officials time out (7h-unusual heat 7l- tv radio timeout and 7m-intermission between period, after a try/score; only)Only one type of conference may be used by ateam during any one time out.

I have had some people tell me that if a player is injured to allow a coach-player(s) conference in front of the team box. But make sure they are ready to go when the player is off the field. Do you agree with this? Or no conference? Players to hash mark?

We have honestly allowed and not allowed conferences. How do other crews handle this situation??

Thanks

[Schmidt MJ]

The rest of the team coming to the sideline to talk to the asst. coach is no different than the QB coming to the sideline between plays. Just so they're ready to go before the 25 sec. count expires. As long as the coach who is attending to the injured player doesn't try to coach the rest of the team it's OK.

[kentsjtgs]

We allow the attendants to come on and water down the players if its an extended injury timeout. Players can go to sidelines and confer with coaches as long as they stay on the field.

[Bill D]

See NF 9.8.1f Note: "Between downs, communications between players and coaches near the sideline are not an unauthorized conference". This note was added around 1990 to specifically allow this. Previously, it had been considered an unauthorized conference.

[Ed Hickland]

Originally posted by BoBo
Was just curious how everybody else handles when a player is injured. You have an official timeout obviously, but what do you or do you not allow as far as conferences between coaches and players. The coach is not allowed out onto the field other than attending to the injured player. But are players allowed to go to the sideline to have a conference. Or players can come to say the hash mark to confer. Especially if you know the player will be down for a while.

Form reading Rule 3-5-9 I believe " An authorized conference may be held during a charged timeout or an officials time out (7h-unusual heat 7l- tv radio timeout and 7m-intermission between period, after a try/score; only)Only one type of conference may be used by ateam during any one time out.

I have had some people tell me that if a player is injured to allow a coach-player(s) conference in front of the team box. But make sure they are ready to go when the player is off the field. Do you agree with this? Or no conference? Players to hash mark?

We have honestly allowed and not allowed conferences. How do other crews handle this situation??

Thanks

This is where the rulebook is over-written by common sense.

When a player is injured and it appears the time will be extended to provide for his care, I send the players to the sideline where they can get water. I do not let a coach come on the field and coach his players.

As with any timeout, the wingman essentially guard the players to make sure no substitution violation occurs. This gives coaches not attending to the injured player the opportunity to coach.

Once it becomes apparent the timeout will require a significant amount of time for example an ambulance is required, I suspend all conference prohibitions and let the players go to their bench and no longer record substitutions. It would look silly to flag a team for substituion infraction when the last play was fifteen minutes ago.