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It was a violent hit that knocked Andrew Sendejo out of Sunday's game but it didn't appear to be a dirty hit. Still, the Vikings safety was knocked out of the rest of the game and entered into the league's concussion protocol as practice begins this week.
The initial prospect of a return for the NFC Championship game sounded good when talking with head coach Mike Zimmer after the game on Sunday and it looks like as of this point midweek that assumption continues.
"I think he's going through individual stuff [today]," Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer said during his press conference on Wednesday.
The return to individual work is one of the many steps along the line in the league's concussion protocol, but it's an important one. Once the symptoms have subsided with no increased work, a player will return to the field to do individual work and then the big decision comes. After individual work, if a player can finish the work with no repercussions and then, wake up the next day symptom free they are in line to be officially cleared from the protocol
"There's several tests that you have to pass along the way," Zimmer continued.
But it was his closing shot that should leave Vikings fans feeling optimistic to get their starting safety back this weekend in Philly...
"He'll be fine."
Things seemed to go sideways Sunday after Sendejo was knocked out of the game. On top of tallying an interception of his own, the Vikings defense including Sendejo allowed zero points to the Saints. After he was sent back to the locker room, the Saints rattled off 24 points to take a late 4th quarter lead.