Tua Tagovailoa suffers concussion: Dolphins QB injured with blow to go vs. Payments on ‘TNF,’ walks off area
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion on the conclusion of a fourth-and-4 run within the third quarter of the Week 2 “Thursday Evening Soccer” matchup towards the Buffalo Payments. Tagovailoa lowered his head making an attempt to achieve the primary down when he collided with Payments security Damar Hamlin within the pink zone. The Dolphins shortly dominated him out for the rest of the competition.
After crumpling to the sphere, Tagovailoa appeared to enter the “fencing response,” which he equally confirmed after struggling a daunting concussion throughout a 2022 “Thursday Evening Soccer” matchup towards the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tagovailoa remained on the turf as trainers evaluated him whereas teammates on the sphere took a knee. He quickly acquired up and walked off the sphere below his personal energy with trainers by his facet. Dolphins backup Skylar Thompson changed Tagovailoa below middle because the Dolphins went on to lose 31-10.
In July, Miami signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4 million extension with $167 million in ensures following a profession season in 2023. He led the league with 4,624 yards passing to associate with 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
There have been reliable issues in regards to the former No. 5 general decide’s long-term well being following the 2022 season as he missed 4 begins because of concussions. Nonetheless, Tagovailoa made a concerted effort that offseason to keep away from concussions. He bulked up, educated in martial arts and began carrying a brand new helmet. Because of this, Tagovailoa began each recreation for Miami in 2023 for the primary time in his profession.
Sadly, this latest incident and the ensuing fencing response drag up a long-running story that has not been addressed in over a 12 months.
NFL concussion historical past
In Week 3 of the 2022 season, throughout a matchup in Miami towards the Payments, Tagovailoa took a success the place he was knocked backward and hit his head on the sphere. The quarterback acquired up and seemed to be woozy, even dropping right down to the bottom once more earlier than teammates helped him up. He exited the sport and apparently handed concussion protocol, with the Dolphins classifying his harm as a again difficulty. The NFLPA even mentioned afterward it will examine the state of affairs.
Simply 4 days later, the Dolphins travelled to Cincinnati to tackle the Bengals. Within the second quarter, Tagovailoa was sacked and violently hit the again of his head towards the taking part in floor. He went right into a fencing response, the place he raised his fingers eerily as a neurological response to go trauma. Tagovailoa was stretchered off the sphere and transported to the College of Cincinnati Medical Middle through ambulance. Nonetheless, he was discharged from the hospital and flew residence with the crew.
Dr. Rahul Shah, a board-certified orthopedic backbone and neck surgeon, gave CBS Sports activities some perception into what the fencing response is:
“So what occurs is when the top will get a success, it mainly snaps backwards,” Dr. Shah mentioned. “So when you’ve the sort of situation, this entire construction mainly will get affected and what’s going to occur is the particular person will get knocked out and so they mainly have this decorticate response. Principally, consider it as a short-circuiting that is occurring that is going all the way in which to the fingertips. And that is what it is exhibiting — it offers you perception that the bottom of the neck or that mind space remains to be pretty fragile, notably after the truth that he is had his prior harm.”
Tagovailoa would miss the following two video games, however return for a Week 7 matchup towards the Pittsburgh Steelers. Nonetheless, his concussion points weren’t over. In a Christmas Day matchup towards the Inexperienced Bay Packers, Tagovailoa had a horrible second half during which he threw three interceptions. The next day, it was introduced that he had entered concussion protocol. Tagovailoa would miss the ultimate two regular-season begins, and Miami’s Tremendous Wild Card Weekend matchup towards Buffalo.
Tagovailoa’s harm Thursday night time marks what’s formally his third concussion in his NFL profession. The quarterback even admitted that he thought-about retirement after being stretchered off the sphere in Cincinnati.
“Yeah, I feel I thought-about it for a time having sat down with my household, having sat down with my spouse and having these conversations,” Tagovailoa mentioned in April 2023. “However actually, it will be exhausting for me to stroll away from this recreation with how previous I’m, with my son. I at all times dreamed of taking part in so long as I may to the place my son knew precisely what he was watching his dad do. I imply, it is my well being, it is my physique, I really feel like that is what’s greatest for me and my household.”