Tua Tagovailoa had a tumultuous year with the Miami Dolphins, as he battled multiple concussions during a rollercoaster season as a center.
The biggest scare came against the Cincinnati Bengals when Tagovailoa was thrown onto the turf and hit his head on the ground. He was taken to the hospital after the incident and missed two games because of it.
Then, he suffered another concussion after a Week 16 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Tagovailoa seemed to hit the ground hard in the first half of the loss, but played the remainder of the match.
He revealed that he had concussion symptoms a couple of days later and did not play for the remainder of the season, including the team’s playoff game against the Buffalo Bills.
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Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa walks onto the field for their game against the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium on December 25, 2022 in Miami Gardens.
(John McCall/South Florida Sun Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
However, the first situation that occurred occurred on September 25, when Tagovailoa stumbled getting up from a hard blow that caused his helmet to break the grass of Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
But, just like the Packers game, Tagovailoa played the second half and defeated the Bills, 21-19. Four days later, the incident against the Bengals occurred, with many believing that the Bills’ game played a factor in the severity of Tagovailoa’s injury.
DOLPHINS GM CHRIS GRIER SAYS TUA TAGOVAILOA IS ‘NO MORE CONCUSSION PRONE THAN ANYONE ELSE’
Many wondered at the time if Tagovailoa should consider retiring from the game due to his head injuries, but his parents confirmed that he will return next season with the Dolphins.
«She’ll be back,» Gaul Tagovailoa, the mother of the Alabama product, told KHON 2 at the Polynesian Bowl.
«That’s his boy. They love him, we love them and what they’re doing and how they’re helping him with his recovery and everything else trying to get him back.»
Gula Tagovailoa said her son is still going through the concussion protocol, but she is «grateful» to the Dolphins for helping the process.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) throws during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, December 11, 2022 in Inglewood, California.
(AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
THE DOLPHINS LEAVE NO DOUBT ABOUT THE POSITION OF QUARTERBACK IN THE ADVANCE
«Very grateful for Miami,» she said.
Tagovailoa’s concussion against the Bengals prompted the NFL to change concussion protocols in coordination with the NFL Players Association. Among those changes was a loss of balance or stability that immediately led referees to send that player off the field for evaluation.
Tagovailoa was in his third NFL season, but his first under head coach Mike McDaniel, whom his mother called «special.»
Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins jumps onto the field before a game against the Green Bay Packers at Hard Rock Stadium on December 25, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Megan Briggs/Getty Images)
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McDaniel unlocked Tagovailoa’s potential, leading him to break career highs for yards (3,548), touchdowns (25) and completions (400) in just 13 games.