Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has been hospitalized with head and neck injuries after recoiling in pain from a punch and landing on a stretcher, but is conscious and moving limbs… FOUR DAYS after apparently suffering a concussion at a game had suffered
- Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa suffered an apparent head injury on Sunday
- Teammates had to help him get up after his head hit the grass
- Instead of being removed, he returned to lead an upset win over Buffalo
- And he was back on the field Thursday as the Dolphins played the Bengals
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Tua Tagovailoa was discharged on a stretcher after recoiling in pain and requiring lengthy treatment on the field in the game between his team Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals.
Just four days after appearing to be battling a concussion in Sunday’s win against the Bills, he was approved to play for the Miami Dolphins.
But after a crunching punch, Tagovailoa remained lying, visibly racked with the pain he was in. He required lengthy treatment from several medics before he climbed onto a stretcher and went straight to the hospital.
Tagovailoa’s hands seemed to go into fencing reaction on landing, which is an unnatural position of arms after concussion.
The Amazon Prime commentary said Tagovailoa, 24, had head and neck injuries but was able to speak to coach Mike McDaniel before going to hospital and asked about the game in question.
The Dolphins added in a statement: “Tua Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. He is conscious and has movement in all his extremities.’
Chris Nowinski, a Harvard-trained neuroscientist and critic of the NFL’s handling of concussions, immediately responded with outrage on Twitter.
Sharing a clip of the incident on Thursday, he said: “This is a disaster. Pray for Tua. Fire the medical staff and trainers. I predicted that and I hate that I’m right. Two concussions in 5 days can kill someone. That can end careers. How can we be so stupid in 2022.”
Tua Tagovailoa was stretchered after a second worrying blow in just four days
The 24-year-old required extensive treatment in worrying scenes on the pitch
Tagovailoa was carried from the field on a stretcher before being taken to a nearby hospital
Tua Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. He is conscious and has movement in all of his extremities.
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) 09/30/2022
Just four days earlier, Tagovailoa staggered after being hit and appeared to have a concussion
Before the game even started, Nowinski tweeted, “Having Tua take the field tonight will be a massive step backwards for #concussion care in the NFL.
“If he has a second concussion that destroys his season or career, everyone involved will be sued and should lose their jobs, including the coaches. We’ve all seen it, even you must know that’s not right.’
In Sunday’s game, the quarterback appeared disoriented and briefly left the field after hitting his head on the turf. He tripped over his feet and teammates had to hold him.
He faced a third and third game of the Miami 21 when he climbed and found Jaylen Waddle for an 8-yard gain. After releasing the ball, Tagovailoa was hit — a two-handed jab to the chest — by Buffalo linebacker Matt Milano, who was flagged for roughly hitting the passer.
The return of Tagovailoa raised some questions. The NFL said Wednesday they were looking into how he would return to the game, but when they returned to the field in the second half, the Dolphins announced that Tagovailoa had sustained a back injury and did not have a concussion.
Tagovailoa later described the incident and said it aggravated a back injury.
“On the quarterback sneak, my legs kind of got trapped under someone and they were trying to push back and it felt like I hyperextended my back or something,” Tagovailoa told reporters after helping get to 3-0 to improve the year . “Then I hit the back on the next piece…that’s where I tripped.”
Quarterback Tagovailoa was found fine to play for the Miami Dolphins Thursday night
Tagovailoa said he “passed every concussion protocol they had,” adding, “I’m fine.”
However, Chris Nowinski, a Harvard-educated neuroscientist and critic of the NFL’s handling of concussions, challenged that explanation on Twitter.
“Calling Bullen*** on the ‘back tweak theory,'” Nowinski tweeted. ‘Check out the video. Tua shakes her head several times to “clear the cobwebs,” which is a specific sign of visual impairment after a #concussion. He also wobbles when standing up before falling. His return is a failure @NFL.’
He was listed as questionable for the game but was ultimately good enough to play.