ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed's history of concussions hasn't given him a reason to stop playing. But he also admitted he tried to hide his latest one.

Reed has suffered at least five concussions since he started playing college football, three of which have occurred in the NFL. But Reed said he has given no thought to quitting football as some other players have done the past several years; Chris Borland retired from the San Francisco 49ers two years ago in part fearing concussions.

"Nah, I mean that's their choice how they want to handle it," said Reed, who signed a contract extension in the spring that guaranteed him $22 million. "I have my own way to handle it."

One way of handling the situation was to be quiet after it occurred. Reed said he knew he had probably suffered a concussion after a third quarter hit vs. Baltimore in Week 5. He caught a pass two plays later, but he said he concealed it from coaches and doctors during the game.

"I kind of kept it to myself," Reed said "I had a pretty bad headache. ... I was feeling it throughout the game and kept playing. The next day I was feeling all right, and then there were some exercises I started doing and I started to feel a little worse."

Redskins tight end Jordan Reed says he has suffered at least five concussions since his college football days. Brad Mills/USA TODAY Sports

Reed, who missed Sunday's win over the Philadelphia Eagles, remains in the concussion protocol. He was limited in practice Wednesday -- wearing pads but also a no-contact yellow jersey. Reed will see a team doctor Wednesday and an independent doctor Friday to see if he will be cleared for Sunday's game at Detroit.

Reed missed two games with a concussion last season and had his rookie year in 2013 end with four games remaining because of another one. In the past he has said the same thing he did Wednesday, that he's not going to stop playing because of a concussion. He said his family has talked to him about the situation.

"They always show concern," he said, "because they care more about my health than anything. But I have to take care of my family, so I've got to do what I've got to do."

He said doctors haven't told him why he keeps getting concussions, speculating that perhaps it's because the ones he had in college were "pretty bad ones."

While he's not ready to give up football at age 26, Reed is not blind to possible long-term effects.

"It comes into my mind sometimes," he said. "But I pray a lot, and I've got faith in the Lord that I'll be all right so that's what I do. ... I just try not to worry about it and leave it in God's hands, and whatever happens, happens."