Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t intend to retire, regardless of calls from former gamers and a outstanding physician to take action after he suffered his most up-to-date concussion, NFL Community reported on Sunday.
The 26-year-old sustained a concussion – at the least his third in 4 NFL seasons – in Thursday evening’s recreation in opposition to the Payments, when he ran on fourth down and collided with Buffalo security Damar Hamlin. After being attended to by medical personnel, he walked off the sector.
Based on NFL Community, Tagovailoa has met with medical doctors specializing in concussions with the eventual aim of being cleared to return to the sector. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has mentioned there is no such thing as a timeline for Tagovailoa to return and that his chief concern lies together with his quarterback as an individual, not a participant.
Tagovailoa missed 5 video games in 2022 due to a pair of concussions. That historical past has left former gamers – one among them a present NFL head coach – nervous for his future.
“I’ll be trustworthy, I’d inform him to retire. It’s not price it,” Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce mentioned. “I simply assume sooner or later, he’s going to stay longer than he’s going to play soccer. Deal with your loved ones.”
Corridor of Fame tight finish Shannon Sharpe additionally expressed his issues. “Actually hope Tua is okay, however he’s gotta critically take into consideration shutting it ,” Sharpe posted to social media after Thursday’s incident. “His concussions are getting worse and worse and he’s a younger man together with his complete life forward of him.”
Dr Bennet Omalu, who impressed the 2015 film Concussion, instructed TMZ Sports activities that Tagovailoa may develop into “completely incapacitated” ought to he proceed enjoying, including he may have “catastrophic and everlasting mind harm” with one other hit.
“If I had been his brother, his father, his uncle, cousin, nephew, if I had been a member of his household,” Omalu mentioned, “I might beg him to retire.”
Tagovailoa mentioned in 2023 that he thought-about retirement, however that he felt he was too younger to stroll away from the game. “I thought-about it for a time, having sat down with my household, having sat down with my spouse and having these sort of conversations,” Tagovailoa mentioned. “However will probably be exhausting for me to stroll away from this recreation with how previous I’m.”
The Dolphins chosen Tagovailoa with the No 5 total decide within the 2020 draft and signed him to a four-year, $212.4m contract extension within the offseason. He has already earned $73m to date in his profession.
Tagovailoa has appeared in 55 video games and is 33-20 as a starter since coming into the NFL. He has accomplished 66.8% of his passes for 13,122 yards with 83 touchdowns and 40 interceptions. He led the NFL in passing yards final season and was named to his first Professional Bowl.