Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has already suffered a frightening concussion this season, having been carted off the field during a game in September against the Cincinnati Bengals.
He would miss a handful of games, but despite calls from numerous pundits and former players begging him to retire, he would return to action in Week 7. But now, he's once again in concussion protocol after suffering a heavy hit on Christmas Day against the Green Bay Packers. Despite the hit, he wouldn't leave the game and wasn't initially evaluated.
If indeed he suffered a concussion, it would be the second of 2022 already.
“As far as the game was concerned, no one recognized anything with regard to any sort of hit. I can’t really tell you exactly what it was,” head coach Mike McDaniel said.
“This is something that we have all of our fortunes ahead of us,” McDaniel continued, “so it’s up to us to choose what we do with all the past experiences, move on to the next game."
But don't expect him to call it quits.
“I just feel like he’s not going to stop playing football,” his brother, Maryland quarterback, Taulia Tagovailoa told The Associated Press. “I feel like every opportunity he has, he is going to try to play. I don’t know, it’s just ‘go until the wheels fall off.’”
“It’s not fair to Tua to label him as concussion-prone, and he does not have to retire,” wrote Nowinski, a former Harvard football player who has never examined Tagovailoa. “A cluster of concussions, or even long-term symptoms, does not prevent a successful return or long career. “Remember a decade ago when people were predicting Sidney Crosby would need to retire after fighting concussions? He’s still playing…. Tua’s been playing football a long time and never had issues” with concussions before this season.” Nowinski said “Tua should not play again this season. Full stop. But the Dolphins should make the playoffs, which could give Tua enough time to become asymptomatic and clear the concussion protocol….
