NEW ORLEANS — Chris Olave, the starting wide receiver for the New Orleans Saints, was taken off the field and transported to the locker room for evaluation after a potential concussion incident during a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday. Olave sustained the injury during a helmet-to-helmet collision while attempting to recover from a fumble that the Buccaneers returned for a touchdown.

The incident occurred after Olave caught a pass from rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler. Just as he secured the ball, he was stripped by Buccaneers defensive back Tykee Smith, leading to a significant hit to the head from cornerback Zyon McCollum. Following the impact, Olave remained seated on the field, appearing dazed, as safety Antoine Winfield picked up the loose ball and sprinted 58 yards downfield for a touchdown, pushing Tampa Bay to a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter.

Surprisingly, there was no penalty called on the play, although the turnover was reviewed according to league rules. Referee Clete Blakeman examined the footage, which clearly showed the dangerous helmet-to-helmet contact; however, his review focused solely on whether Olave had completed the catch before the fumble occurred. Ultimately, Blakeman announced that the fumble and subsequent Buccaneers score would stand, much to the dismay of the Superdome crowd, which had witnessed the replays and reacted with boos over the lack of a personal foul call that could have protected the Saints’ top receiver.

Olave, selected in the first round of the 2022 draft from Ohio State, had entered the match with impressive stats, boasting 22 receptions for 275 yards and one touchdown over the course of the season’s opening five weeks. This marked the third time in his short NFL career that Olave has been placed in the league’s concussion protocol.