Tennessee Titans linebacker Cedric Gray has entered the NFL's concussion protocol following an accident involving a utility terrain vehicle (UTV) over the weekend. The team announced Monday that Gray sustained a concussion and minor injuries in the incident, which occurred in Tennessee.
"We look forward to Cedric returning to the field soon and in full health when he clears the NFL’s concussion protocol," the Titans said in a statement. According to ESPN, no alcohol or reckless driving was a factor in the accident.
Gray's status for the Titans' season opener against the New York Jets on Sunday is now uncertain. To be cleared for play, he must complete the league's return-to-participation program, which includes exams and clearance from a neurological consultant independent of the team. If the consultant concurs with the team physician's assessment that Gray has cleared his concussion, he will be eligible to play in the upcoming game.
Last season, Gray recorded 164 tackles, ranking fourth in the NFL, and started all 16 games for the Titans. The team drafted him in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft after he played collegiately at North Carolina.
Gray's situation is not the first time an NFL player has faced injury from an ATV or similar vehicle. In 2022, then-New York Giants player Xavier McKinney was involved in an incident with an ATV during a bye week trip that resulted in him missing seven games and later stating he was close to losing three fingers. More recently, former Georgia transfer running back Dante Dowdell sustained a punctured lung, broken ribs, broken collarbones, nerve damage, and required nine staples after an ATV accident in Mississippi in July.