Earlier this fall, several people in the NFL community suggested that Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa should retire after suffering another concussion that kept him out for four games.
In an interview with ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, which aired before Monday night’s game between the Dolphins and Los Angeles Rams (which the Dolphins won to improve their record to 3-6), Tagovailoa explained why he never seriously considered retiring.
“It never stuck in my mind that I was ever thinking of retiring,” Tagovailoa said, according to Bryan DeArdo of CBS Sports. “Whether the doctors told me that or not, it would have just been information for me.”
Tagovailoa did admit that he and his family talked about the possibility of him retiring after he had at least two reported concussions during the 2022 season.
However, he played every game for Miami last season and performed well enough to earn a four-year, $212.4 million contract.
His most recent concussion happened on September 12, and he returned to play in the Dolphins’ 28-27 loss to the Arizona Cardinals on October 27.
“Honestly, they would just ask me how I felt about everything,” Tagovailoa said about his conversations with doctors during his recovery.
“And from there, it was just testing, testing, and continued questions. …If they were to tell me that I couldn’t play, I would have definitely taken that into consideration, but there were no talks like that.”
Tagovailoa made headlines during Monday’s win when he lowered his head to make a tackle after an interception. He later laughed about the moment in his postgame comments.
“I can tell you what I don’t want to be known for is the poster boy for concussions,” Tagovailoa said before the game. “That’s for sure.”
For him to avoid that title, he’ll need to stay healthy and avoid more concussions. Monday’s game served as another reminder that fans and analysts will be on edge every time Tagovailoa takes a hit.
The Dolphins will next host the 2-7 Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Miami as a 7.5-point favorite for the game.
