Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins left Thursday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering a frightening injury when he was sacked and his head hit the ground.
Tagovailoa was transported to a local emergency facility after suffering head and neck trauma, according to reports on Thursday Night Football. The 24-year-old was conscious and had movement in all of his extremities, according to the team.
Tagovailoa’s injury comes amid an NFLPA investigation into the Dolphins’ handling of his injury in last Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Tagovailoa was slow to get up after hitting his head on the ground near the end of the first half on a play that drew a roughing the passer penalty, and he stumbled to the ground as he tried to walk back to the huddle. He was escorted to the sideline and evaluated in the locker room for a concussion. With a head injury, he was initially deemed questionable to return, but he took the field after halftime and finished the game.
Tagovailoa said he completed the six-step concussion assessment process during halftime, but Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said after the game that Tagovailoa had actually injured his back. If a player exhibits any symptoms, the NFL’s concussion protocol requires them to be evaluated on the sidelines.
Tagovailoa’s status for Thursday night’s game was uncertain, but he was expected to play earlier in the day.
Tagovailoa said he completed the six-step concussion assessment process during halftime, but Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said after the game that Tagovailoa had actually injured his back. If a player exhibits any symptoms, the NFL’s concussion protocol requires them to be evaluated on the sidelines.Tagovailoa’s status for Thursday night’s game was uncertain, but he was expected to play earlier in the day. Social media was flooded with reactions to Tagovailoa’s terrifying injury on Thursday, with many questioning why he was even in the game in the first place.
