Tom Savage did not want to exit Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.
But he didn't have a choice in the matter.
After a second-quarter hit from 49ers defensive lineman Elvis Dumervil, Savage was shaken up and was first examined in the blue tent on the Texans sideline. He was cleared to re-enter the game on the next series.
"Yeah, he got hit on that one play in the end zone, I think, backed up in our end," head coach Bill O' Brien said. "Obviously, the spotter wanted him evaluated. We evaluated him. At that time, made the determination to put him, that he was – not me, obviously the evaluators made the determination to put him back in the game. Then he went back in the game and he came out and they evaluated him a little bit more just because of what they saw. So, that's kind of where it's at."
Savage was on the field for three more plays but doctors then decided that he needed additional testing. Savage tried to go back in the game, but trainers took the starting quarterback to the locker room instead. Savage was placed in the league's concussion protocol and did not return.
"He doesn't want to come out of the game, but again that's in the medical people's hands," O'Brien said. "They try to make the best decision for the player. Whatever they see and the testing that they do, they try to make the best decision with the player, and they weren't satisfied with the results of the second test, so they decided to pull him and that's when he went into the locker room."
Savage completed 6-of-12 for 63 yards and led Houston on a seven-play, 30-yard scoring drive on Houston's first possession that resulted in a 55-yard field goal to give the Texans a 3-0 lead. Backup quarterback T.J. Yates entered the game for Savage, completing 14-of-26 for 175 yards and two touchdowns in the 26-16 loss.
The Texans will next face the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road in Week 15.
The Houston Texans take on the San Francisco 49ers at NRG Stadium.
