Ron Rivera on Cam Newton evaluation: 'We follow the rules here'

CHARLOTTE, N.C. --Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera became defensive Monday when questioned about how the hard hit that quarterback Cam Newton took in the helmet area was handled during Sunday's winat New Orleans.

Newton stayed in for three plays and completed a touchdown drive before being tested for a concussion in the locker room early in the third quarter of the 41-38 victory.

"We follow the rules here," said Rivera, whose team improved to 12-0. "Don't question my integrity when it comes to those things, OK? Understand that. I tried to be as forthright as I could when I answered your questions [Sunday]. And when I'm doing that, the least I can do is get the common courtesy that I am being believed, OK?

"I take it very seriously. It is not up to me to make those decisions and those calls. It's up to the doctors, just so you understand that. I'm being very, very up front with this and very forward, because it does bother me. I'm not the doctor, OK? I'm not the one that makes these decisions. We have a protocol. We follow the protocol."

The officials deemed during a timeout that Newton was all right to stay in the game after the fifth-year quarterback was hit by linebacker Michael Mauti while trying to score on a run around the right side.

The NFL issued a statement saying Newton "was evaluated under the protocols and it was determined he did not have a concussion." But when Rivera was asked Monday whether he had seen Newton to check on how he was feeling, the coach responded strongly.

"No, and there's no reason to see how he's feeling," Rivera said. "We all discussed all [that] yesterday. We were forthright and gave you guys the answers. There's really no answer to see where he is."

Rivera's voice raised as a reporter attempted to ask a follow-up question.

"No, don't even bring that up," he said. "Do not bring that up, OK? We talked about that last night. There's no reason for this to become a story other than you're bringing it up again."

When the reporter tried to ask another question, Rivera stopped him.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah!" he said. "All right, please! We've discussed this before."

Rivera pointed out that star linebacker Luke Kuechly missed three games after suffering a concussion in the first half of the opener at Jacksonville.

"And at no point in time did we force that young man on the field because we believed him," Rivera said. "Do not question me on this."

Rivera said he wasn't aware of everything that happened after Newton's hit that led to questions about a potential concussion until he saw the replay Monday morning.

He referred to St. Louis Rams coach Jeff Fisher taking a similar stance to the events surrounding quarterback Case Keenum continuing to play after recently suffering a concussion. That situation led to a leaguewide conference call between teams and the NFL and NFL Players Association.

"When plays happen, you go to the next one," Rivera said Monday. "I can see what Coach Fisher is talking about. When he was over on the sideline shaking his head, I didn't see that until I saw it on the replay this morning.

"As the head coach, you see certain elements of what's going on. I didn't see that."