Tua Tagovailoa faces calls to retire from NFL after latest concussion
FILE-Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins reacts after a 21-14 loss against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on January 07, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during the team’s primetime matchup against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.
Tagovailoa ran for a first down late in the third quarter and collided with Bills safety Damar Hamlin, who made the tackle on the play. The quarterback initiated the contact by lowering his shoulder into Hamlin instead of sliding as most signal-callers do when they run.
The Dolphins quarterback left the game that same quarter and did not return as the team lost to the Bills 31-10.
Tagovailoa is in the NFL’s concussion protocol and will have to successfully complete a series of tests and evaluations before he or the Dolphins can determine when he can return to the field.
Has Tua suffered concussions before?
Tua Tagovailoa has dealt with concussions during his young NFL career before.
The former first-round pick appeared to suffer a concussion the game before against the Bills at home in 2022, but it was ruled he was dealing with a back injury, which resulted in him stumbling after noticeably smacking his head on the ground during a play, FOX News reported.
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A few days later, in a Week 4 game in 2022 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tagovailoa was thrown onto the turf in Cincinnati, and a frightening scene happened as his hands were positioned in a strange way, an instance that sometimes occurs with head injuries where the fingers curl.
Tagovailoa suffered a concussion toward the end of the season against the Green Bay Packers, knocking him out for the rest of the season, FOX News noted.
What were players saying about Tua’s concussion?
This latest concussion Tagovailoa suffered Thursday night led to reaction from former NFL players speculating about his future in the league.
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III said on social media: "Think of the person not just the player," a sentiment shared by countless others.
Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant shared his thoughts on X, formerly Twitter, saying it’s time for the league to intervene. "That’s it…. NFL go ahead and do the right thing," Bryant posted. "Tua has had entirely way too many concussions … He need to retire for his longevity health concerns."
And Hall of Fame tight end Shannon Sharpe wrote, "Really hope Tua is ok, but he’s gotta seriously think about shutting it dwn. I H8 saying this. His concussions are getting worse and worse and he’s a young man with his entire life ahead of him."