Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is resolute in his decision to stay in the game, even after his most recent concussion last week. Sources revealed to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport that Tagovailoa has no intentions of retiring.
A Troubled History with Concussions
During the Dolphins’ 31-10 defeat against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, Tagovailoa was forced off the field after diving for a first down and receiving a hit from Bills safety Damar Hamlin. The 26-year-old quarterback has endured multiple concussions, particularly in the 2022 season. In 2023, he mentioned contemplating a temporary break from football due to the severity of his head injuries.
Focused on Recovery and Future Games
On Sunday, Rapoport shared on NFL Game Day that Tagovailoa aims to return to the field “when he is ready,” and it’s likely he may miss “multiple games.” Additionally, following his previous injuries, Tagovailoa has begun consulting a concussion specialist.
Dolphins’ Stance and Coach’s Perspective
When approached for comment, CNN reached out to Tagovailoa’s representative, while the Dolphins chose not to respond. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel stated on Friday, “I’m not trying to even look at, ‘Okay, how serious is this is relative to his past [concussions]?’ Really for me, I know the facts are that it’s important that he gets healthy day by day and, in that, the best thing I can do is not try to assess what this event means from a football standpoint.” When asked about retirement, McDaniel added, “would be so wrong of me to even sniff that subject.”
Divided Opinions in the NFL Community
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has urged Tagovailoa to retire, emphasizing the dangers of repeated concussions.
“It’s not worth to play the game,” Pierce told reporters.
“I haven’t witnessed anything like I’ve seen that’s happened to him three times. Scary. You can see right away the players’ faces on the field. You can see the sense of urgency from everybody to get Tua help.”
Conversely, former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi supports Tagovailoa’s choice to continue playing. Speaking on ESPN, Bruschi said, “You have your own ending up here in your mind. Tua still wants to win and he still wants to have a career and I would support him if he wanted to come back.”
Future Prospects for the Dolphins
Tagovailoa led the Dolphins to the playoffs last season and secured a four-year contract extension worth approximately $212.4 million. In last week’s game at Hard Rock Stadium, after his tackle from Hamlin, Tagovailoa walked off the field under his own power, with backup quarterback Skylar Thompson taking his place. The Dolphins (1-1) are set to face the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field on Sunday.
