Thursday night was a matchup everyone was waiting for as a red hot Miami Dolphins team went up against a struggling Cincinnati Bengals who were looking to regain a foothold on being Super Bowl contenders once again. Fans had some concerns about the status of Tua going into Thursday night as he seemingly suffered a concussion. After a short appointment with the medical staff, Tua returned to the game when his injury was ruled out as a concussion. It was later reported that his collapse on the field after a hit by the Bills defense was a back injury. Fans had some questions about the validity of the the concussion test going into the Thursday night matchup and their concerns would only get worse during the game.
Sunday Night Matchup Versus the Buffalo Bills Generates Concerns for Tua
The Miami Dolphins went u against Josh Allen and the Bills during a Sunday matchup that saw two titans going against each other to prove who would continue on as the undefeated team of the AFC. The game provided a divisional matchup that previewed playoff implications, despite how early it is in the season. With little time to go in the second quarter, Tua was hit in the backfield by Matt Milano, which resulted in his head bouncing off of the ground. What transpired afterwards sparked controversy. Tagovailoa appeared disoriented and struggled to walk off of the field as the trainers rushed out to help him off.
This is what happened to Tua Tagovailoa after his head hit the turf hard. Not sure how you let him back in.
(🎥 @EmmanuelAcho)pic.twitter.com/OiAJwaN5RI
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 25, 2022
Public outcry began when Tua Tagovailoa would re-enter the game at the beginning of the second half after what the overwhelming majority believed was a concussion suffered by Tua. Taylor Tilley with gridironheroics.com calls the decision the beginning of terrible decision making my the franchise. Miami would hold on and win the game, however it appeared to be a loss in the eyes of the pubic as many believed Tua should have been sidelined for at LEAST the remainder of the game. Not only were fans outraged, many NFL pundits had something to say about the decisions made by Miami coaches.
The Sunday Countdown crew weighs in on the Tua Tagovailoa situation:
“I treated every one of my players like they were my son … No way in hell I put my son back in that game.” – Rex Ryan pic.twitter.com/pFzyEEdRts
— ESPN (@espn) October 2, 2022
Disaster Strikes in Cincinnati Versus the Bengals
Despite the difference of opinions from the Miami coaching and medical staff to the NFL fan population, Tua was slated to start against the Bengals. Cincinnati did not have many opportunities to get to Tagovailoa until the second quarter, where disaster struck. Jeff Kerr with CBS Sports writes,
“Late in the second quarter, Tagovailoa was sacked by Bengals defensive lineman Josh Tupuo, and in the process of being brought to the ground, his back and head banged against the field surface. Tagovailoa was immediately in obvious pain, and his fingers went into a Fencing position, which is an involuntary response to head trauma.”
The third year QB was carted off of the field after an extended period of time laying on the ground as trainers tended to him. The on field medical staff would stretcher him and put him in a neck brace before carting Tua off, which led to a social media onslaught that led to the demand that Mike McDaniel be fired, as well as Miami’s medical staff. It was later revealed that there was an independent neurotrama consultant, at which time more questions came about.
Is the NFL Protecting Their Players to the Best of Their Ability?
Following the results of the two injuries suffered by Tua Tagovailoa, one against the Buffalo Bills on a Sunday bout and the other coming against the Cincinnati Bengals in primtetime, it is apparent that the protocol surrounding concussions has not been ironed out by the NFL. As helmets and rules against defenseless receivers have improved and the Guardian Caps have become a staple in the offseason to protect head to head contact, it has become incredibly apparent that there are holes in the procedures that are intended to keep the players safe.
Dylan Buell/Getty Images Medical staff tend to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins as he is carted off on a stretcher after an injury during the 2nd quarter of the game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on September 29, in Cincinnati, Ohio
Recent reports have confirmed that the independent neurotrauma doctor that evaluated Tua after the injury he sustained against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday has been fired for “several mistakes”, says ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Louis- Jacques would later state that the NFLPA is also going to review the concussion protocol to better understand where the issues lie. The investigation, along with the review of the protocol, will hopefully shed light on the concerns surrounding concussions and bring about new rules regarding head injuries, whether they only appear to be serious or not. In the meantime, many wait patiently for the speedy recovery of Tagovailoa as his career appears to be ongoing despite an unclear timetable for his return.
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