Connect with us

    Hi, what are you looking for?

    Professional

    Tua Tagovailoa Suffers Third Career Concussion in Game Against Bills

    Published

    Image Source: April Visuals / Shutterstock

    The Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

    With 4:30 left in the third quarter, Tua attempted a 4th down and four yards to go play, rushing up the middle.

    Following a collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin, Tua remained on the ground for an extended period. His posture at the time of impact strongly indicates a possible brain injury.

    Specifically, his right hand gnarled into a fist immediately after the hit, a sign typically associated with loss of consciousness.

    This reaction was eerily similar to Tua’s prior occurrences during the 2022 NFL season, which caused him to miss multiple games. Notably, in Weeks 3 and 4 of that year, he suffered a head injury in a matchup against the Bills (21-19 victory) after his head struck the turf following a hard hit. This incident drew widespread attention as Tua appeared disoriented and struggled to maintain balance while receiving assistance from teammates.

    Even after leaving that game early, he managed to clear the concussion protocol and played a “Thursday Night Football” game against the Cincinnati Bengals just four days later (27-15 loss), where he unfortunately sustained a similar blow after a sack, resulting in his head bouncing off the ground.

    This play mirrored Tua’s latest reaction, where his hands reflexively lifted with fingers curling up, a neurological response to head trauma.

    Eventually, he was removed from the field on a stretcher and transported to a nearby medical facility in Cincinnati. The gravity of his injury led many to speculate whether Tua should consider retirement, a thought he has previously acknowledged himself.

    Additionally, he re-entered concussion protocol after a Christmas Day game against the Green Bay Packers (26-20 loss).

    With tonight’s injury, further questions emerge regarding the future of Tua’s NFL career; he recently signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with the Dolphins.

    After his exit from the game against the Bills, Tua was monitored by medical staff in the locker room for the remainder of the match.

    This incident marks the Dolphins quarterback’s fourth concussion (the third officially recorded in the NFL), all within the early stages of his fifth season.

    According to CBS Sports HQ injury expert Marty Jaramillo, Tua could be out for a minimum of eight to twelve weeks, noting that retirement must be considered for the 26-year-old quarterback.

    “Textbook indication of a serious head injury,” Jaramillo told CBS Sports. “He impacted his head twice. First on the tackle, then again on contact with the ground. This young man simply cannot afford to keep incurring concussions and expect a long career. … [It’s] not fair to him and his family.”

    Image Source: April Visuals / Shutterstock

    In this article: