Is It Time for Former Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa to Hang Up His Cleats?

In a concerning incident during Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his third diagnosed concussion in the NFL. The injury occurred in the third quarter when Tagovailoa scrambled up the middle for a first down and collided with Bills safety Damar Hamlin, resulting in forcible contact between his helmet and Hamlin’s forearm. Tagovailoa immediately went into a fencing response, with his arms in an unnatural position, indicating a concussion.

Medical trainers attended to Tagovailoa for several minutes as players from both teams kneeled around him. Although he was able to walk off the field under his own power, he was quickly ruled out for the remainder of the game and escorted to the locker room for further evaluation.

After the game, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the media, stating that Tagovailoa was in “good spirits” but refrained from speculating about his return. “Right now, it’s more about getting a proper procedural evaluation tomorrow and taking it one day at a time,” McDaniel said. “The furthest thing from my mind is what is the timeline. We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate. We’ll get more information tomorrow and then take it day by day from there.”

Teammate and offensive lineman Austin Jackson, who was close to Tagovailoa following the injury, expressed his concern. “Crushed. I hate to see him like that,” Jackson said. “Even with his history already with that type of stuff, I hate to see it. I hate that it was him rushing out of the pocket. Wish I could get that back for all of us. I could have been better.”

Tagovailoa’s history with concussions is well-documented and has been a source of significant concern. In 2022, he was involved in two high-profile incidents within four days. The first occurred during a game against the Bills, where he hit the back of his head on the ground, stumbled upon standing, and briefly left the game before returning. This led to a joint NFL and NFLPA investigation, resulting in the termination of the unaffiliated neurological consultant who cleared him to return. The NFL also updated its concussion policy to include an ataxia clause, allowing spotters to remove players showing certain concussion symptoms from the game.

Just four days later, Tagovailoa suffered another concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals, where he was briefly rendered unconscious. He was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with a concussion, leading to heavy criticism of the Dolphins’ handling of his health. Tagovailoa missed two games before returning but sustained yet another concussion during a game against the Green Bay Packers on December 25. This time, the Dolphins shut him down for the remainder of the season.

Following the 2022 season, Tagovailoa admitted to briefly considering retirement after discussions with his family, particularly his mother. Ultimately, he decided to continue his career, dedicating the offseason to bulking up and training in jiu-jitsu to learn how to fall without hitting his head on the ground.

Despite the serious nature of his injuries, McDaniel emphasized that the team’s handling of Tagovailoa’s situation would be approached uniquely, without being influenced by past events. “Every situation is unique. I am not worried about anything that’s out of my hands in terms of, I’m just worried about the human being, and he’ll drive the ship when we get the appropriate information. But it’s day-by-day health … particularly with concussions.”

Considering Tagovailoa’s history of concussions, both during his time at Alabama and in the NFL, the question now arises: Is it time for Tua Tagovailoa to hang up his cleats for good? The repeated head traumas pose significant risks to his long-term health, and the decision about his future in football weighs heavily. As Tagovailoa and the Dolphins await further medical evaluations, the football community watches closely, hoping for a resolution that prioritizes his well-being above all else.