Tua Tagovailoa doesn’t want to be seen as the representative for traumatic brain injuries in the NFL, but he understands that this is his reality after his latest concussion.
Speaking with reporters on Monday for the first time since being diagnosed with his third concussion in the NFL, the Dolphins quarterback expressed frustration about sitting out the last four games. He was also annoyed at having to answer health-related questions for the second time in two years.
“Do I want to be known for this? No, I don’t,” Tagovailoa said. “But that’s the cards I’ve been dealt with given the history of it. So it is what it is.”
Tagovailoa mentioned that he would not wear a Guardian cap, which is a soft-shell helmet cover that some players are using during games for extra protection. His teammate, De’Von Achane, wore one on Sunday after suffering a concussion in Week 5.
Medical experts have cleared Tagovailoa to play again after he collided with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin in Week 2 while running for a first down and lowering his shoulder instead of sliding.
He still needs to be officially cleared from the NFL’s concussion protocol before returning, which could happen after he practices on Wednesday. If everything goes smoothly, coach Mike McDaniel said the plan is for Tagovailoa to start on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
“Following the directive and opinion of medical experts, the reason why he’s coming back now is because the medical experts have deemed it safe for him to return,” McDaniel said. “I don’t mess with timelines or try to overcook the forecast. You lean on experts for matters of the career, and that’s what we’re doing here.”
Tagovailoa ended up on his back with both hands raised after the hit against Buffalo on September 12, which took place in the third quarter. Players from both teams quickly called for trainers and pointed at him, suggesting there might be an injury.
While he was down, Tagovailoa seemed to be making a fist with his right hand, a movement that can be seen after a serious brain injury and is known as the “fencing response.”
Tagovailoa mentioned he hasn’t had any symptoms since the day after the incident, but he was put on injured reserve five days later. When asked if he thought he should have been placed on IR, Tagovailoa said he felt the team “did what was best” for him.
“What I do know is I think the team did what was best in the interest of me, knowing that I’m a competitor,” Tagovailoa said.
“Given what the doctors have told me, having a substantial amount of time to rest and recover would have been good for me. I think they did what was best in terms of protecting myself, you know, from myself.”
He has a history of head injuries since joining the NFL, having been diagnosed with two concussions in 2022 and suffering another concerning hit to the head that season, which led to changes in the NFL’s concussion rules.
Over the past month, Tagovailoa has traveled across the country to meet with various medical experts, who he and McDaniel said agreed it was safe for him to play football again. He was not advised that he would face increased long-term risks if he continued his career.
Football fans, coaches, and media people have shared their thoughts on what Tagovailoa should do next.
“I’ll be honest: I’d just tell him to retire,” said Antonio Pierce, coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. “It’s not worth it. It’s not worth it to play the game. I haven’t witnessed anything like I’ve seen that’s happened to him three times. Scary.”
McDaniel has warned against guessing about Tagovailoa’s health and future since the concussion happened. Tagovailoa, while appreciating the concern, said he has never thought about retiring this time, even though he talked about it with family two years ago.
“I just think this is only becoming a thing just because of what ended up happening two years ago for myself within the sport,” he said. “I hate that it’s happened, but we don’t look at boxers the same way. We don’t look at hockey players the same way.”
McDaniel said Tagovailoa understands his responsibility to the Dolphins organization, which signed him to a four-year, $212 million contract extension in the offseason.
“Part of that is protecting yourself,” McDaniel said. “Part of that — I’ve got to make sure he’s properly protected, but at the same time, I can’t control everything. And he has to be able to protect himself.”
Tagovailoa added that he needs to “be smart” on the field to ensure he can stay available for the team. He mentioned that there’s risk in everything.
“Every time we all suit up, we’re all taking a risk that we could potentially get hurt, whether it’s a concussion, a broken bone, anything,” Tagovailoa said. “You get up off of the bed the wrong way, you potentially could risk spraining your ankle. But there’s just risk in any and everything. And I’m willing to play the odds.”
