Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season has barely begun, however there may be severe concern in regards to the well being of one of many league’s beginning quarterbacks. In Thursday night time’s loss to the Buffalo Payments, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left the sport with a concussion, one other such second within the younger quarterback’s profession.
And a second that has some questioning if his enjoying days are over.
First head damage: Week 3 of 2022 season
The preliminary head damage considerations with Tagovailoa relate to a sport towards the Payments again in Week 3 of the 2022 season. Tagovailoa tried a throw to his left whereas underneath strain within the pocket. He fell to the turf, showing to strike the again of his helmet on the enjoying floor at Exhausting Rock Stadium. After the play, Tagovailoa was visibly shaken and he staggered to his toes earlier than falling down:
Tagovailoa was taken to the sidelines, and later the locker room, and the instant phrase was that he suffered a head damage and was questionable to return.
Nonetheless, Tagovailoa returned to the sport within the second half, serving to lead the Dolphins to a 21-19 victory over Buffalo. Reviews started to floor after the sport that Tagovailoa had suffered a again damage, not a head damage. He was cleared by the concussion protocol by the unaffiliated neurotrauma guide.
After the sport, Tagovailoa informed the media that he did hit his head, however that he believed he hit his again first:
Tua says he felt like he hyperextended his again. He talked about it feels tight now. He did say he his head however believes he hit his again first.
He had ice on his pack in postgame and he famous they’ll get exams and are available again tomorrow. They’ve a fast turnaround TNF at Cincy. https://t.co/iSdQ0Bvaa0
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) September 25, 2022
Shortly after the sport the NFLPA initiated an investigation into how Tagovailoa was dealt with in that sport:
The NFLPA is initiating an investigation into the dealing with of #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion test throughout their sport towards the #Payments right now in Miami, per supply.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) September 25, 2022
Second concussion: Week 4 of 2022 season
That sport was on Sunday, and the Dolphins confronted a fast turnaround as their Week 4 sport was towards the Cincinnati Bengals on the street for Thursday Evening Soccer.
You in all probability keep in mind what occurred in that sport.
Early within the second quarter of that contest, Bengals defensive sort out Josh Tupou burst by the Miami line of defense and obtained to the quarterback, spinning him to the turf for the sack. Within the course of, Tagovailoa’s helmet bounced off the turf at Paycor Stadium, and it was instantly obvious that the quarterback had suffered an damage. Tagovailoa’s fingers drew near his face, and the passer stayed on the turf as his teammates and later medical personnel rushed to his assist:
It is a catastrophe. Pray for Tua. Fireplace the medical staffs and coaches. I predicted this and I hate that I’m proper. Two concussions in 5 days can kill somebody. This may finish careers. How are we so silly in 2022. pic.twitter.com/D8S8eEbgda
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) September 30, 2022
Many speculated that Tagovailoa’s fingers, frozen by his face, was an instance of the “fencing response,” a response that happens when somebody suffers traumatic mind damage from a robust affect, corresponding to a concussion, that causes the arms to flex into an unnatural place.
Tagovailoa was taken to the College of Cincinnati Medical Heart for analysis however flew dwelling with the crew after being discharged. He was formally identified as having suffered a concussion on account of that play.
Tagovailoa returned for Week 7 of the season, a sport towards the Pittsburgh Steelers. By that point the league and the NFLPA had agreed to new concussion protocols, regardless of the discovering that the concussion protocols in place for Week 3 — when Tagovailoa suffered his head/again damage towards the Payments — had not been violated. Of observe from the findings: “Following the whole evaluate, the events concluded that whereas the step-by-step course of outlined within the Concussion Protocol was adopted, the result on this case was not what was meant when the Protocol was drafted.” (Emphasis in unique).
Third concussion: Week 16 of 2022 season
Tagovailoa continued to play for the Dolphins, till Week 16 towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers. The Miami quarterback performed your complete sport towards the Packers, a sport Inexperienced Bay gained 26-20, ending the afternoon having accomplished 16 of 25 passes for 310 yards and a landing, together with three interceptions.
He was again within the concussion protocol on Monday. When head coach Mike McDaniel met with the media two days later, he indicated that Tagovailoa had suffered a concussion towards the Packers and that Teddy Bridgewater would begin in Week 17 towards the New England Patriots:
#Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel tells reporters that QB Teddy Bridgewater will begin this week and that QB Tua Tagovailoa did undergo a concussion and will “fear about his well being first.”
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 28, 2022
Tagovailoa’s season was over, as he was listed as inactive for Miami’s closing two common season video games in addition to their Wild Card Weekend sport towards the Buffalo Payments.
Tagovailoa got here again for the 2023 season, having turned to Judo coaching within the offseason to learn to fall higher, to keep away from extra head accidents. He performed in all 17 of Miami’s video games, main the crew to a different playoff berth. Whereas that season led to Kansas Metropolis, in a Wild Card loss to the Chiefs, there was hope that his head damage days have been behind him.
Fourth concussion: Week 2 of 2024 season
Then got here Thursday night time in Exhausting Rock Stadium, and one other sport towards the Payments. After throwing his third interception of the night time, Tagovailoa had the Dolphins on the transfer. Nonetheless, as he scrambled on a play and dove for a primary down, an all-too-familiar sight adopted: Tagovailoa down on the bottom, his fingers close to his face, and medical personnel dashing to his assist.
He was dominated out of the sport with a concussion. You may watch the video of the play in query right here.
Within the hours since Buffalo’s 31-10 win, many have speculated that Tagovailoa’s enjoying days must be over, as that is his third confirmed concussion in three seasons, and certain his fourth should you depend the preliminary damage towards the Payments in 2022. Tagovailoa did point out that he thought of retirement forward of the 2023 season, however as a substitute made it again to play for Miami.
After the sport, McDaniel talked about his quarterback. “My thought was concern,” McDaniel of his preliminary response to Tagovailoa’s damage. “I used to be simply apprehensive about my man. Not one thing you ever need to be part of, you hope to not.”
Tagovailoa will bear additional testing on Friday, however his head coach indicated that any damage timeline was not his concern for the time being.
“The furthest factor from my thoughts is what’s the timeline,” McDaniel stated. “We simply want to guage and simply fear about my teammate, like the remainder of the blokes are. We are going to get extra data tomorrow and take it day-to-day from there.
“I’m simply apprehensive in regards to the human being, and he’ll drive the ship once we get the suitable data,” McDaniel added. “but it surely’s day-by-day well being.”
