MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The atmosphere at Hard Rock Stadium shifted dramatically as Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa collapsed on the field, surrounded by nearly ten medical staff members. It became clear that Tagovailoa had sustained the third confirmed concussion of his career, evoking memories of previous injuries.
The incident occurred during a Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills, which ended in a 31-10 defeat for the Dolphins. Tagovailoa was hurt while attempting to dive headfirst into the tackle of Bills safety Damar Hamlin. He remained on the ground for a couple of minutes as team officials rushed to assist him, and his teammates anxiously looked on.
Dolphins rookie center Aaron Brewer, who was the first to call for medical help, shared his concern, saying, “You see his hands look like they’re cramping. Instantly I knew what was going on… I instantly had flashbacks.” Teammate Austin Jackson expressed his distress, stating, “[I was crushed] crushed. I hate to see him like that… I could see in his eyes that he wasn’t there all the way.”
Eventually, Tagovailoa managed to sit up and walked to the sideline with head coach Mike McDaniel before continuing to the locker room with trainers. Veteran player Calais Campbell noted the emotional weight of the situation, saying, “His history makes you feel a little bit more… I’ve seen him gather himself, and you could tell it was tough on him.”
This incident follows a difficult history for Tagovailoa, who suffered two concussions during the 2022 season, which ultimately led to him being sidelined for the remainder of that year. Coincidentally, Hamlin had his own health scare on the field last season, suffering cardiac arrest and requiring resuscitation.
At the time of his injury, the Dolphins were trailing 31-10. Tagovailoa’s stats included 17 completions on 25 attempts for 145 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions, along with being sacked and hit multiple times.
In the offseason, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the Dolphins and aimed to improve his mobility by losing weight, which inherently increased his risk of injury.