Should Tua Tagovailoa walk away from the NFL? | The Herd
The Buffalo Bills beat the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night, but the biggest takeaway was that Tua Tagovailoa suffered another concussion during the loss. Colin Cowherd discusses the ramifications of this injury and whether Tua should retire.
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa He has dealt with a series of concussions over the past 24 months.
The latest head injury occurred during the Dolphins' 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the season-opening Thursday Night Football game. Tagovailoa He collided with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. in the second half, resulting in the quarterback's third confirmed concussion since entering the NFL.
Thursday's health scare has again sparked debate over whether the 26-year-old quarterback should step away from football. Neuroscientist Chris Nowinski, a former professional wrestler who also played college football at Harvard, weighed in on Tagovailoa's situation.
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Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins looks on before playing a game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on September 12, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
Nowinski said he believed the contact during the play in question Thursday left the Dolphins quarterback with a traumatic brain injury.
“Tua suffered a traumatic brain injury on this play, no doubt about it,” Nowinski wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “His right arm is in the 'fencing stance' indicating loss of consciousness and is on the severe end of the #concussion spectrum. He's out for tonight and should miss the next game.”
DOLPHINS' TUA TAGOVAILOA FACES CALLS TO RETIRE FROM NFL AFTER LATEST CONCUSSION: 'IT'S NOT WORTH IT'
Nowinski last competed in WWE in 2003 under the ring name Chris Harvard. Since stepping away from professional competition, Nowinski has become one of the most prominent voices in concussion awareness.
He also holds a PhD in Behavioral Neuroscience from Boston University.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) receives assistance on the field during the second half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Meanwhile, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant called for Tagovailoa to retire from the NFL, citing “his longevity” and “health issues.”
Other former players chimed in following the recent head injury, including three-time Super Bowl winner Shannon Sharpe. “I really hope Tua is OK, but he needs to seriously think about stopping playing. I'm sad to say this. His concussions are getting worse and he's a young man with his whole life ahead of him.” [sic]”Sharpe wrote in a social media post.
Nowinski stopped short of calling for Tagovailoa to immediately end his competitive football career. Instead, he stressed the importance of the quarterback's recovery from his latest head injury.
“There's no magic number of concussions that require retirement,” he said. “It all depends on how he recovers from it, but having too many concussions can lead to chronic symptoms and mental health disorders. He's in a very tough spot.”
September 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) walks off the field with the training staff after an apparent injury during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium. (Images by Jasen Vinlove-Imagn)
Nowinski also pointed out the difficult situation a doctor could end up in if he advised Tagovailoa to quit.
“There's a hard truth here,” Nowinski said. “Doctors who advise star athletes to retire — in the absence of symptoms lasting more than a year, brain bleeds or major changes on MRI — can be blacklisted. Many doctors may advise Tua to retire based solely on his frequent concussions. Tua may not see those doctors.”
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Tagovailoa was running with the ball looking for a first down in the third quarter of Thursday's game and lowered his shoulder instead of sliding as Hamlin approached. The 26-year-old quarterback remained on the turf for a few minutes as medical personnel tended to him. Tagovailoa was eventually able to walk to the Dolphins' sideline.
The Dolphins plan to add another quarterback to their roster while Tagovailoa recovers from his latest concussion. However, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel made it clear that Tagovailoa's health was everyone's main concern.
Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson will likely take over the starting role for Miami's game against the Seattle Seahawks September 22nd.
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