Stampeders put Cornish on the shelf over concussion issues

The player who did more to put the CFL on the nation's front pages and newscasts last year is making headlines of a slightly less positive nature this year.

The Calgary Stampeders announced Wednesday that star running back Jon Cornish, who in December became the first CFL player in four decades to win the prestigious Lou Marsh Award, is being placed on the six-game injured list because of lingering concussion issues.

The league's Most Outstanding Player last season and leading rusher was injured when he took a vicious hit to the head from Montreal Alouettes linebacker Kyries Hebert in the first week of the season. The 29-year-old from New Westminster, B.C., was knocked unconscious but did walk off the field on his own.

But severe headaches and other health problems have lingered, keeping Cornish out of action since then. He's eligible to return Sept. 6 when the Stamps play in Edmonton but the team can activate him before then if it determines that Cornish is ready to return.

The team says it wants to ensure Cornish doesn’t return to the field prematurely.

“Jon continues to make progress in his recovery but we understand the importance of being extremely careful with this type of injury and we want to make sure Jon has all the time he needs to get completely healthy,” Stampeders general manager and head coach John Hufnagel said in a statement. “We look forward to having Jon back in the lineup and, in the meantime, other players have stepped up in his absence. I’m confident that will continue to be the case.”

Cornish isn't the only key CFL starter sent to the sidelines by a concussion. The Hamilton Tiger-Cats lost quarterback Zach Collaros when he was the victim of a high hit by Edmonton Eskimos defensive lineman Odell Willis.

The injuries, along with a concussion lawsuit by former all-star receiver Arland Bruce III, once again put the focus on brain injuries in football. And while the CFL has come a long way in dealing with concussions -- players like Cornish and Collaros likely would have been sent back on the field a decade ago -- one has to wonder if it couldn't do more.

For example, neither Hebert nor Willis was suspended, although both were dealt heavy fines. An argument might be made that forcing a perpetrator to the sidelines and depriving him of a game cheque or two might not send a stronger message about hitting opponents above the neck.

After seeing the horrors produced by concussions in the NFL, the CFL should be doing everything it can to avoid that kind of publicity.

But it's a complicated issue, especially in the warriors' world of pro football. Though the league and its officiating staff were unhappy with Hebert, Cornish didn't seem to have a problem with the hit, which was basically aimed at the running back's head.

Cornish seems to believe it's all part of the game.

“Stuff like that happens,” Cornish told the Calgary Herald's Vicki Hall after the game. “I don’t really blame him. I did a pretty good cut-block on him earlier in the game. So that’s how it goes sometimes.”

That seemed strange coming from a guy who saw teammate Dimitri Tsoumpas forced to retire last season at age 27 due to symptoms caused by concussions.

As for Willis, he felt that even a suspension was unwarranted. “If that was my mom throwing the ball, I’d hit her the same way," he said at the time.

While it appears that Willis had no malicious intent and even tried to avoid hitting Collaros above the shoulders, the fact remains that the on-field officials didn't think a shot to the head was worthy of a flag -- even though the rules clearly state that it is.

Football is a violent game and hits to the head will happen even when players are on their best behaviour or trying to avoid them. That's why there needs to be more serious consequences when the hits appear to be intentional.

Fans want to see big hits. But nobody wants to see careers ended or lives ruined by hits to the head.