Viewers were outraged over the scary hit Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa took Thursday, with many questioning the NFL’s concussion protocol.
Tagovailoa left his game against the Cincinnati Bengals after he suffered head and neck injuries, according to the team. The injury appeared to be significant as Tagovailoa’s fingers locked up, which a medical expert on the Prime Video broadcast said was the way the body would act as part of a “neurological response to head trauma.”
DOLPHINS QB TUA TAGOVAILOA HOSPITALIZED FOLLOWING BIG HIT DAYS AFTER INJURY SCARE
The Dolphins quarterback stumbled off the field during a game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, only to return later. The NFL said it is investigating whether the team followed proper concussion protocols after many speculated he may have suffered a concussion.
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Tua Tagovailoa injured after being slammed down #nfl pic.twitter.com/jlNiOly3zJ
— Phip (@phleeep) September 30, 2022
Chris Nowinski, the founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, bashed the NFL’s handling of Tagovailoa’s injuries, saying it was “a disaster” and that the team’s medical staff should have been fired.
This is a disaster. Pray for Tua. Fire the medical staffs and coaches. I predicted this and I hate that I am right. Two concussions in 5 days can kill someone. This can end careers. How are we so stupid in 2022. pic.twitter.com/D8S8eEbgda
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) September 30, 2022
Various former and current NFL players also criticized how the Dolphins handled Tagovailoa’s recent injuries, especially in light of the league’s recent concussion controversies.
And look, miss me with the “but the doctors said it was his back!” “Doctors OK’d him!” He banged his head on the ground, got up, grabbed his head and shook it side to side, then stumbled around and couldn’t walk. MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, put him in concussion protocol for the week?!?
— Mitchell Schwartz (@MitchSchwartz71) September 30, 2022
Tua 4 days ago. The Dolphins will have to answer for this. https://t.co/DlNIVMPZmC
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) September 30, 2022
Truth be told Tua should probably never have been playing.
He displayed neurological trauma last week, we disregarded it, labeled it a “back injury” & let him back in the game.
Now, the whole world watch as he lay on the field helpless. When will we put player safety FIRST!
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) September 30, 2022
That’s a serious injury . Tua shouldn’t have been out there with Sunday Thursday turn around. Sometimes players need protecting from themselves. Dolphins failed Tua
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) September 30, 2022
The NFL has been scrutinized before for its handling of head injuries and concussions, with the league settling a massive lawsuit in 2013 from former players who were seeking compensation for brain injuries suffered from playing professional football. CTE, short for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a “brain degeneration likely caused by repeated head traumas,” according to the Mayo Clinic, has been found in many former NFL players.
The NFL’s concussion protocol has also been under scrutiny for not being comprehensive enough in ensuring player safety. The league’s concussion protocol calls for a coach, teammate, official, or member of team personnel to call for a player to be removed for exhibiting potential symptoms of a concussion. The player is then removed from the game and evaluated by a team doctor.
For the player to return to playing in practice or a game, after being diagnosed with a concussion, he must go through five phases of a closely watched process. The final step of the process calls for an independent neurological consultant to approve the player’s return. The process usually ranges in length from multiple days to sometimes weeks.
The NFL Players Association has said it is conducting its own investigation into whether there was a potential violation of the league’s concussion protocol.
Player health and safety is at the core of the union’s mission. Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential protocol violation is ongoing.
— NFLPA (@NFLPA) September 30, 2022
During the 2021 NFL season, 187 concussions were suffered by players. The league has implemented several measures to mitigate the problem, including using Guardian Caps, helmets with additional padding, for offensive linemen, defensive linemen, tight ends, and linebackers from training camp until the second preseason game this off-season.
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Tagovailoa was released from a Cincinnati-area hospital Thursday evening and was said to be traveling with teammates by plane back to Miami, per the team.
