Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was dominated out of Thursday night time’s sport with the Buffalo Payments due to a concussion after colliding with defensive again Damar Hamlin and hitting the again of his head in opposition to the turf.
Tagovailoa, who has a historical past of coping with head accidents, remained down for about two minutes earlier than attending to his toes and strolling to the sideline after the play within the third quarter. He made his option to the tunnel not lengthy afterward, trying into the stands, appeared to smile and departed for the locker room.
The Dolphins wanted virtually no time earlier than saying it was a concussion. The staff mentioned he had two in the course of the 2022 season, and Tagovailoa was identified with one other concussion when he was a university participant at Alabama.
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“I’ve a number of love for Tua, constructed an ideal relationship with him,” mentioned quarterback Skylar Thompson, who changed Tagovailoa after the harm. “You care concerning the individual greater than the participant and all people within the group would say the identical factor. Simply actually praying for Tua and hopefully every little thing will come out all proper.”
Tagovailoa positioned himself for a giant pay bump with an injury-free and productive 2023. He threw for 29 touchdowns and a league-best 4,624 yards.
He signed a four-year, $212 million extension earlier than this season and was the NFL’s main passer in Week 1 this season. Tagovailoa left the sport with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, which held as the ultimate rating.
“If you recognize Tua outdoors of soccer, you possibly can’t assist however really feel for him,” Payments quarterback Josh Allen mentioned on Amazon following the sport. “He is an ideal soccer participant however he is a fair higher human being. He is top-of-the-line people on the planet. I’ve obtained a number of love for him and I am simply praying for him and his household, hoping every little thing’s OK. Nevertheless it’s powerful, man. This sport of soccer that we play, it is obtained its highs and it is obtained its lows — and this is without doubt one of the lows.”
Tagovailoa was harm on a fourth-down keeper with about 4:30 left within the third. He went straight forward into Hamlin and didn’t slide, main along with his proper shoulder as a substitute.
He wound up on his again, each his palms within the air and Payments gamers instantly pointed at Tagovailoa as if to counsel there was an harm. Dolphins middle Aaron Brewer shortly did the identical, waving to the sideline.
Tagovailoa gave the impression to be making a fist along with his proper hand as he lay on the bottom. It was motion in step with one thing that’s known as the “fencing response,” which could be widespread after a traumatic mind harm.
Tagovailoa ultimately obtained to his toes. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel grabbed the facet of his quarterback’s head and gave him a kiss on the cheek as Tagovailoa departed.
Hamlin was the participant who suffered a cardiac arrest after making a sort out throughout a Monday night time sport in January 2023 at Cincinnati, inflicting the NFL to droop a pivotal sport that shortly misplaced significance within the aftermath of a scary scene that unfolded in entrance of a nationwide tv viewers.
“I really like Tua on and off the soccer area,” Payments edge Von Miller mentioned. “I am an enormous fan of him. I can empathize and sympathize with him as a result of I have been there. I want him one of the best.”
Tagovailoa’s historical past with concussions — and the way he has since labored to keep away from them — is a big a part of the story of his profession, and now involves the forefront as soon as once more.
He had at the least two concussions in the course of the 2022 season. He was harm in a Week 3 sport in opposition to Buffalo and cleared concussion protocol, although he appeared disoriented on that play however returned to the sport.
The NFL later modified its concussion protocol to mandate that if a participant exhibits attainable concussion signs — together with a scarcity of steadiness or stability — he should sit out the remainder of the sport.
Lower than per week later, in a Thursday night time sport at Cincinnati, Tagovailoa was concussed on a scary hit that briefly knocked him unconscious and led to him being taken off the sector on a stretcher.
His second identified concussion of that season got here in a December sport in opposition to Inexperienced Bay, and he did not play for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Going into final season, Tagovailoa added muscle and hung out finding out jiu-jitsu in an effort to learn to fall extra safely and attempt to defend himself in opposition to additional harm.