The Miami Dolphins positioned Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve after the quarterback was identified along with his third concussion in two years, the group introduced Tuesday.
Tagovailoa can be sidelined for at the least 4 video games with the designation. He can be eligible to return in Week 8 when the Dolphins host Arizona, however has to efficiently full a collection of checks and assessments required by the NFL’s concussion protocol earlier than he can return to the sector.
Tagovailoa was harm within the third quarter of a Thursday evening sport towards the Buffalo Payments on a play the place he collided with Payments defensive again Damar Hamlin. He ran for a primary down after which initiated the contact by reducing his shoulder into Hamlin as an alternative of sliding.
Gamers from each groups instantly motioned that Tagovailoa was harm, and as he lay on the turf the quarterback exhibited some indicators usually related to a traumatic mind harm. He remained down on the sector for a few minutes, acquired to his ft and walked to the sideline. The Dolphins identified him with a concussion only a few minutes later.
Coach Mike McDaniel has since cautioned towards hypothesis on the quarterback’s soccer future, stressing that he’s extra centered on Tagovailoa getting wholesome than what this newest concussion means for the group or for his long-term profession. Tagovailoa this week started the method of consulting neurologists about his well being amid stories that he has no plans to retire.
Others across the NFL have supplied their opinions on Tagovailoa’s future, together with Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, who advised he ought to retire.
“So far as Tua’s profession is anxious, I feel it’s an utmost precedence of mine for Tua to talk on Tua’s profession,” McDaniel mentioned Monday. “Stories are stories. So far as I’m involved, I’m simply fearful in regards to the human being and the place that’s at day after day. I’ll let Tua be the champion of his personal profession.”
McDaniel mentioned Tagovailoa was on the group’s follow facility on Monday smiling along with his teammates and dealing with trainers.
“He’s doing good, man. Talked to him, he’s in good spirits,” Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle mentioned Monday. “[He’s] acquired the group in good spirits and everyone praying for him and hoping [for his] well being.”
Head accidents have turn into an all-too-familiar, all-too-scary prevalence all through Tagovailoa’s profession.
In a September 2022 sport towards Buffalo, he took successful from linebacker Matt Milano, which prompted him to slam to the bottom. He appeared disoriented afterward and stumbled as he tried to get to his ft. He was cleared to return to that sport and later mentioned it was a again harm that prompted the stumble. He was not identified with a concussion.
4 days later, he acquired hit once more throughout a Thursday evening sport at Cincinnati wherein he was briefly knocked unconscious and was taken off the sector on a stretcher. As he lay on the turf, his fingers appeared to show the “fencing response,” a time period usually related to a mind harm. That point, he was positioned within the concussion protocol.
Tagovailoa’s state of affairs sparked fast and important adjustments to the concussion protocols by the NFL and the NFL Gamers Affiliation. Essentially the most notable addition was that an abnormality of steadiness and/or stability can be a symptom prohibiting a participant from returning to a sport.
Tagovailoa briefly thought-about retirement after that, however as an alternative returned and studied methods to higher defend himself on the sector, together with taking jiu-jitsu courses forward of the 2023 season.
Tagovailoa has mentioned he spoke to quite a few neurologists who informed him they didn’t imagine he can be extra inclined to move accidents than every other participant shifting ahead, nor would he be at the next threat for continual traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), which is the mind illness related to repeated blows to the top. He was additionally identified with a concussion whereas in school at Alabama.
With Tagovailoa sidelined, the Dolphins will go along with backup Skylar Thompson after they journey to face Seattle on Sunday. Miami additionally signed Tyler Huntley off the Raven’s follow squad.
