CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WGHP) — Carolina Panthers tight end Hayden Hurst has been diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia, his father confirmed on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Hurst entered the concussion protocol after what appeared to be a routine tackle during the Panthers’ Week 10 loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday. He had not appeared in a game since.
Hurst returned to practice for the first time as a limited participant on Wednesday. However, he donned a red jersey and was still in a concussion protocol.
Hurst’s father, Jerry Hurst, announced on Wednesday evening that the tight end was diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia by an independent neurologist as a result of a hit he took against the Bears.
According to Headway, post-traumatic amnesia, or PTA, “is the time after a period of unconsciousness when the injured person is conscious and awake, but is behaving or talking in a bizarre or uncharacteristic manner.”
Headway adds that the person has no continuous memory of day-to-day events and struggles to remember things that happened in segments of time as small as hours and minutes. PTA can last anywhere from a few hours to a few months, and there is no immediate cure.
Mayo Clinic notes that confusion and problems remembering new information after a concussion can occur. It is especially common during the early stages of recovery. More severe head injuries can cause permanent amnesia.
Hurst’s father says that the tight end will have a slow recovery, and there is no word as to when he will be able to return to the field.
The 30-year-old played college football for South Carolina before being drafted during the first round of the 2018 draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Hurst spent two seasons with the team before playing two seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. He played with the Cincinnati Bengals last season before joining the Panthers.