Asher Gibbons
Sports Editor
Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has returned from yet another brutal concussion, leaving fans to wonder if it’s safe for him to continue in the NFL.
Although it seems normal for NFL players to get concussions because of the nature of the game, Tua’s case is one that’s much more viewed. Two of his four concussions have been on nationally televised games, causing more fans to take notice.
To fully understand why this could be disastrous for the fifth year quarterback, we need to dive into his concussion history.
His first concussion was in college, paired with a bundle of other injuries, on what would be his last collegiate play before entering the NFL. Draft analysts have stated since then, his durability could be a concern when entering the NFL.
The second concussion took place in his third season.
In a 2022 game against the Buffalo Bills, Tua took a hard hit where you can see his head snap back with a lot of force and hit the turf. What everyone really paid attention to was when he got up and stumbled down like he was just knocked down in a boxing match.
Somehow he was able to return the very next week despite rigorous concussion protocols.
In that following game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tua was sacked with a tremendous amount of speed and torque, landing on his head. He then showed a “fencing response,” which is defined as a counter reaction to a traumatic brain injury where the individual displays immediate extension of the arm and unnaturally flexed fingers.
This concussion led people to call for the early retirement of Tua. With awareness for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) on the rise, fans are keen to promote this idea for his safety. A large part of why the disease is such a concern is because it can’t be detected until the autopsy. There are symptoms that can show, and people like Antonio Brown are speculated to have CTE because of his change in demeanor since his first five seasons in the NFL.
CTE was discovered in the deaths of players such as Aaron Hernandez, Junior Seau, Demaryius Thomas and others. According to a survey done by JAMA Neurology, a third of the professional players reported perceived CTE.
Most recently, in a Thursday Night Football game in week two of this season, Tua suffered another concussion that once again sparked the “fencing response” and fans once again called for his retirement.
Five weeks have passed and Tua Tagovailoa returned in week 7 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The NFL gives all the players the option of wearing a guardian cap, a padded safety cap that goes over the helmet to aid in preventing concussions. He said he would not be wearing the Guardian Cap, citing the reason to be “personal choice.”
Personally, I believe that Tua should retire. His return brings a tremendous risk to his future health and lifespan. The situations of Junior Seau and Aaron Hernandez were catastrophic and CTE absolutely played a role in what happened to them. It would be hard to watch Tua become another victim of CTE in real time for a few extra bucks.
