Hayden Hurst is okay.
The Panthers tight end is recovering from a severe concussion he suffered in early November. It hasn't come without concern, as it was revealed he experienced amnesia after the hit and cannot remember what happened for a few hours after the collision.
Fortunately, Hurst has responded for the first time since the Bears game, updating Carolina fans of his status and recovery since the injury.
Hayden Hurst hit vs. Bears
In the Panthers' loss to the Bears on Nov. 9, Hurst was hit by Chicago's Jaquan Brisker. The tight end was tackled mid-air while trying to control a reception. He hit his head hard on the turf, causing him to take a second and kneel after the play. He did not immediately appear seriously injured, though, and walked to the sidelines.
Joe Person of The Athletic noted that Hurst spoke to reporters following that game — something players in the concussion protocol don't do postgame.
Hurst has missed the Panthers' three games since then with a concussion.
On Dec. 6, nearly a month after the initial injury, Hurst's father Jerry revealed on social media that the 30-year-old tight end was diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia.
What is post-traumatic amnesia?
According to Headway, a UK-based charity that specializes in brain injury, post-traumatic amnesia is "the time after a period of unconsciousness when the injured person is conscious and awake, but is behaving or talking in a bizarre or uncharacteristic manner."
Those who suffer from PTA may have no memory of the events leading up to injury.
Symptoms include confusion, agitation, inability to recognize other individuals and unusual, aggressive behaviors.
There's no way to know how long the amnesia will last, but it can range from minutes to weeks or even months. The longer it lasts, the more severe a brain injury is, whereas a shorter period of amnesia indicates a minor injury. Fortunately though, the PTA itself does not cause any long-term effects.
Hayden Hurst injury update
Though he still has no memory of the hit, Hurst reassured fans that the injury is not career ending.
He returned to practice in a no-contact role, as he's still in concussion protocol. His recovery will be slow and done with caution, but the tight end eyes a return to the playing field in the upcoming weeks.
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