Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was thrown off the field on a stretcher during Thursday night’s game and apparently suffered a second head injury in less than a week before being thrown to the ground. I hit my head on the grass.
Midway through the second quarter of the game against Miami and the Cincinnati Bengals, Tagovailoa stepped back to pass midfield. Bengals defensive his tackle Josh Tupou grabbed Tagovailoa, spun him and threw him to the ground. Tagovailoa’s elbow hit the ground first, then the back of his helmet.
Tagovailoa quickly spread his fingers and raised both hands. “Fencing Response’ It could be a sign of brain damage. A dolphin trainer ran onto the field and minutes later carried Tagovailoa off the field on a stretcher.
Minutes later, the broadcaster announced that Tagovailoa was conscious with head and neck injuries and was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. The team said on Twitter that he had movement in his extremities, after which he will be discharged from the hospital in time to return to Florida with the team.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel told a sideline reporter the injury was a “terrifying moment.”
Chris Nowinski, chief executive of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, who has often criticized the NFL’s handling of concussions, was relentless Thursday night.
“This is a disaster” he wrote on twitter Shortly after Tagovailoa was kicked off the field. “Pray for Tua. Fire medical staff and coaches. I predicted this, but I hate to be right.”
But Tagovailoa’s injury raised new questions about how the Dolphins handled the league’s concussion protocol. A hit that looks like he slammed his head into the grass left him wobbly.
In the second quarter of that game in Miami Gardens, Florida, Tagovailoa was pushed to the ground, hit his head, grabbed the side of his helmet, staggered to his feet, took a few steps, and then fell to his knees. He left the field and spent the rest of the first half in the locker room, but returned to play in the second half.
His return prompted the NFL Players Association to launch an investigation into the Dolphins’ handling of injuries, an option added to the collective bargaining agreement in 2020. It includes interviews with the team and league doctors who made the diagnosis. This process may take several weeks. The union said on Twitter on Thursday that they wished Tagovailoa a “complete and speedy recovery” and that an investigation was underway.
On Wednesday, the NFL said it welcomed an investigation into Sunday’s handling of the incident. The sign,” he said, is that league protocols are being followed.
Dolphins listed Tagovailoa as ‘suspicious’ team injury report Ahead of Thursday’s game with a “back/ankle” issue.
After Tagovailoa was sent off in game two, the league’s reliance on concussion protocols could be called into question again.
His injury in a primetime NFL game followed that of Bills cornerback Dane Jackson after he inadvertently collided with teammate Tremaine Edmonds during a game Monday night, Sept. 19. The hits restored Jackson’s head and neck. He was released from Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo the next day after being cleared by a CT scan.
Veteran cornerback Richard Sherman, an Amazon commentator covering Thursday’s game, said: “They are people, they have families, they have a future, and they are doing everything they can to entertain people.”