The scene was grim Thursday night time when Tua Tagovailoa scrambled for a primary down, collided headfirst with Damar Hamlin’s arm somewhat than sliding and crumpled to the bottom.
The Miami Dolphins’ star quarterback appeared to exhibit the fencing response on “Thursday Night time Soccer” for the second time in three years. Flashbacks to his 2022 damage towards the Cincinnati Bengals prompted comprehensible concern and concern on social media feeds. “Oh no, Tua.” “Not once more.”
In contrast to 2022, when he was taken off the sphere by stretcher, Tagovailoa walked off underneath his personal energy on Thursday night time. Inside minutes, he was identified with the third identified concussion of his NFL profession. He additionally had one at Alabama.
I’m in no place to inform Tagovailoa to hold them up. I’m not a physician, I’m not in Tagovailoa’s inside circle and I’ve by no means even had a concussion myself. However when former NFL gamers — not critics of soccer, however precise star gamers — are beginning to say you need to retire, it’s important to take into account if they’ve a degree.
“Actually hope Tua is okay, however he’s gotta significantly take into consideration shutting it dwn,” Shannon Sharpe wrote on X, previously generally known as Twitter. “I H8 saying this. His concussions are getting worse and worse and he’s a younger man together with his complete life forward of him.”
“That’s it…. NFL go forward and do the best factor,” wrote Dez Bryant, apparently arguing that the league ought to step in and drive Tagovailoa to retire. “Tua has had totally method too many concussions. He have to retire for his longevity well being considerations.”
If Sharpe and Bryant are two males whose opinions you don’t significantly respect, they weren’t alone. On Amazon Prime’s postgame present, Tony Gonzalez mentioned, “I’m pondering retirement right here” … earlier than awkwardly following that up with the poorest phrase selection potential: “To me, it looks as if a no brainer.”
And former participant and entrance workplace govt Louis Riddick: “A part of the dialogue goes to be about if he ought to play anymore. Ever once more. That’s the fact. That makes me really feel sick. Nevertheless it’s a part of the dialogue now. Simply need the person to be protected and wholesome.”
There’s a sure type of keyboard reactionary who will say that Tagovailoa knew what he signed up for when pursuing a soccer profession, that this entire concussion factor is getting overblown. Right here’s the issue with that: We aren’t legislating whether or not sort out soccer must be authorized for everybody, or at what age to start out tackling. That’s a separate dialog. We aren’t agonizing about what’s going to occur when the hits begin coming. For Tagovailoa, the hits have come.
Keep in mind, Tagovailoa has already admitted to contemplating retirement after his tough 2022 season. The person cleared concussion protocol scandalously quick in Week 3, frightened the soccer world in Week 4 and had one other identified concussion in December. We’re lower than two years faraway from that.
Amazon sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung mentioned late in Thursday’s sport that Tagovailoa was alert and had motion in all of his extremities. She additionally reported that his household was with him within the locker room. His mom requested him to rethink his taking part in profession again within the offseason of 2023. This time, the household’s pleas could also be stronger.
No matter resolution Tagovailoa makes, his NFL profession will probably be outlined by his battle with concussions. We all know an excessive amount of about CTE to disregard a participant with a historical past of concussions ever once more. Everybody’s our bodies heal in another way, however when it comes all the way down to it, we solely get one mind.