Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during the team’s Thursday night game against the Buffalo Bills after colliding with defensive back Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head on the turf.
Tagovailoa was down for approximately two minutes before getting up and walking off the field. He later proceeded towards the locker room, looking back at the fans and smiling as he left.
The Dolphins quickly announced that Tagovailoa had sustained a concussion. He previously had two concussions in the 2022 season and was diagnosed with one during his college career at Alabama.
Skylar Thompson, who took over for Tagovailoa after the injury, expressed concern for his teammate, saying, “I have a lot of love for Tua” and emphasized that caring for him as a person is paramount.
Before the start of this season, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212 million contract extension, making him one of the highest-paid players in the league. At the time of his exit, the Dolphins were behind 31-10, which became the final score.
Bills quarterback Josh Allen shared his support for Tagovailoa, noting, “He’s a great football player but he’s an even greater human being,” while expressing his hope for Tagovailoa’s well-being.
Throughout his college years and early NFL career, Tagovailoa has dealt with injuries, but he managed to have a strong start to the 2023 season, throwing for 29 touchdowns and leading the league with 4,624 passing yards last year.
It remains uncertain when Tagovailoa might return to the field, as he had previously contemplated his future in the sport following multiple concussions in 2022. He was injured on a fourth-down running play, not opting to slide in the tackle.
After the collision, Tagovailoa displayed a “fencing response,” a movement often seen following a brain injury, which raised immediate concern among players on the field. Miami’s coach Mike McDaniel showed affection towards Tagovailoa as he left the game.
Notably, Hamlin had his own life-threatening incident last January during a game when he suffered a cardiac arrest following a tackle.
Tagovailoa’s history with concussions has shaped his career, particularly after the NFL updated its concussion protocols last year in response to his injuries. His recovery from the December concussion in 2022 kept him off the field for the remainder of that season, leading him to seek ways to fall safely and protect himself from further injury, including studying jiu-jitsu techniques.