Rob Issa, FISM News
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Just four days after stumbling off the field, Tua Tagovailoa was carried away on a stretcher after suffering neck and head injuries following a hard hit during Miami’s 27-15 loss at Cincinnati on Thursday.
Tagovailoa was conscious and had movement in all his extremities when he was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He was released and set to travel home with the team. Coach Mike McDaniel said he had a concussion.
The frightening injury sparked outrage from former players who questioned why Tagovailoa was allowed to play so quickly after a scary moment Sunday against the Bills when he hit his head, stumbled walking back to the huddle, and left the game.
Tagovailoa missed only three plays against the Bills and the NFL Players Association and NFL launched a joint review of the decision to allow him to re-enter. Tagovailoa and the team explained a back injury caused his instability. He never entered concussion protocol.
“What goes into every one of those decisions: Your medical staff. Independent specialists. An entire protocol. And you’re talking to the player as well. Five or six different layers of a process of decision-making,” McDaniel said, explaining the decision to let him play.
In the first half against the Bengals, Tagovailoa was spun around by Josh Tupou and slammed backward into the turf. He was still on the ground and his hands froze in front of his face. He was down for more than seven minutes before he was loaded on a backboard, stabilized, and strapped to a stretcher after his facemask was removed.
Fans in Cincinnati chanted “Tua! Tua!” while he was rolled off the field.
“I could tell it wasn’t the same guy that I was used to seeing,” McDaniel said. “It was a scary moment. … It’s an emotional moment. It’s not a part of the deal you sign up for. His teammates and myself were very concerned, but he got checked out and it’s nothing more serious than a concussion.”
Backup Teddy Bridgewater said the team’s sideline was silent when Tagovailoa was on the ground.
“He’s one of us,” Bridgewater said. “At the end of the day, it’s only a football game. In that moment, you saw how we feel about Tua. He’s our captain. He’s our leader. It was great to see the doctors handling the situation.”
Immediately, the NFLPA responded on Twitter: “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.”
Former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III wrote: “The bottom line regarding Tua is LIFE is bigger than football. Teams should always put the person before the player. Health before competitive advantage. Putting Tua out there isn’t just a player safety issue. It’s a quality of life issue.”
Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe tweeted: “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.”
Before the injury, Tagovailoa was 8 for 14 for 100 yards and an interception. His performance in the first three games helped propel the Dolphins to a 3-0 start. It’s uncertain the severity of his concussion. He was able to fly home and now enters a five-step concussion protocol process before he’s allowed to return to the field.
Bridgewater threw a touchdown pass filling in for the injured Taovailoa, but Joe Burrow guided the Bengals to a comeback win after trailing 15-14 entering the fourth quarter. Burrow was 20 for 31 for 287 yards and two touchdowns. Tee Higgins caught seven passes for 124 yards and a TD as Cincinnati evened its record at 2-2. The defending AFC champion Bengals lost their first two games.
“Joe was lights out,” Bengals coach Zac Taylor said. “You had to beat man coverage. We had the guys to do it and the protection to match it and the quarterback who, that’s what he wants to see.”