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The Rashean Mathis situation took a dark turn Saturday. During the height of college football's spectacle, the NFL injury news slunk in and struck the Lions where they least expected it. The veteran cornerback has been placed on the injured reserve, signalling the end to his 2015 NFL season. The decision to place him on IR is a result of the concussion Mathis suffered in Week 7 against the Minnesota Vikings, although the concussion was not diagnosed until after the Kansas City game in London.
Tim Twentyman has the report:
#Lions place CB Rashean Mathis (concussion) on IR & sign veteran CB Crezdon Butler. https://t.co/itxVRHukI1
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) November 14, 2015
Mathis was cleared through concussion protocol against the Minnesota Vikings, but began to experience headaches after traveling to England. He was ruled out against the Chiefs, although at the time it was listed as "illness." The symptoms did not pass, and after the Lions returned from the bye week, Mathis was marked on injury reports with a concussion. He was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers on Friday.
Mathis, who will be 36 before the next NFL season begins, has one more year on his contract with the Detroit Lions.
I've written previously about the Rashean Mathis concussion and the implications the scenario has for the National Football League. That Mathis has seen his brain injury go from passing concussion protocol to missing two games to season-ending IR is nasty business for a sport that still has yet to solve - to solve, with all its science and engineering and crisis management and marketing - the concussion crisis that looms still, an evil dark condor over the sport of American football. A man can be cleared from concussion protocol and he is still not safe. Not safe. Not safe.
Crezdon Butler has been signed to fill Mathis' vacuum on the depth chart. They've also signed safety Isaiah Johnson from the practice squad (not a good sign for Isa Abdul-Quddus) and waived James-Michael Johnson.