Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered his third concussion in Week 2, adding to a troubling injury history that began during his college career at Alabama. Since starting his collegiate career in 2017, Tagovailoa has faced multiple significant injuries, including four concussions, a fractured pelvis, a dislocated hip, a broken nose, and a back injury.
Three of his concussions occurred after he entered the NFL in 2020, with the latest happening during a “Thursday Night Football” game in September. This most recent serious head injury has prompted speculation about his potential retirement, a consideration he openly entertained after the 2022 season. However, recent reports indicate that Tagovailoa does not plan to retire following this latest incident.
The Dolphins placed Tagovailoa on injured reserve after the Week 2 concussion, meaning he will not participate in Miami’s upcoming “Monday Night Football” game against the Tennessee Titans.
Tagovailoa’s Injury Timeline
Despite having injury-free true freshman and sophomore seasons at Alabama, where he led the team to a National Championship victory in 2018, Tagovailoa’s health took a turn in 2019. That season, he suffered a high ankle sprain during a game against Tennessee, requiring surgery but allowing him to return three weeks later. Unfortunately, shortly after his return, a serious injury occurred during a sack against Mississippi State, leading to multiple injuries, including a fractured pelvis, a dislocated hip, and his first concussion.
In the NFL, Tagovailoa’s struggles with injuries continued. In his rookie season, he jammed his thumb, causing him to miss a game just weeks after becoming the Dolphins’ starting quarterback. In 2021, he fractured several ribs in a game against the Bills, resulting in a three-game absence.
The 2022 season proved particularly challenging for Tagovailoa. He exited a Week 3 game against Buffalo after a hit that led to concerns about possible concussion protocol violations. A week later, following a sack against the Bengals, he experienced disturbing symptoms consistent with a traumatic brain injury, resulting in hospitalization. After missing two games, he returned to the field, but his struggles continued, culminating in a Christmas Day game when he entered concussion protocol the following day after experiencing symptoms, causing him to miss the last two games of the season.
However, Tagovailoa played all games in 2023 until his recent concussion. During a Week 2 match against the Bills, he sustained his third diagnosed concussion after a tackle that caused him to hit his head on the ground. The Dolphins have since placed him on injured reserve, meaning he will miss a minimum of four games.
Contract and Performance
In July 2023, Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension with the Dolphins, featuring $167.1 million guaranteed. This deal averages $53.1 million annually, which ranks as the fifth-highest in the NFL.
As for his career statistics, across 55 games, Tagovailoa has completed 66.8% of his passes for 13,122 yards, with 83 touchdowns and 40 interceptions, maintaining a passer rating of 96.4. In the 2024 season, his performance over two games includes a completion rate of 64.5%, with two passing touchdowns and three interceptions.