SAD NEWS:Latest injury to Dolphins QB on a lengthy fine
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion in Week 2 was the third of his NFL career. His injury history since the start of his college career at Alabama has been rough.
Since 2017, when Tagovailoa first played in a game for the Crimson Tide, the quarterback has suffered four concussions, a fractured pelvis, dislocated hip, broken nose and injured back. Of his concussions, three have happened since he entered the NFL in 2020, with the most recent one happening on “Thursday Night Football” in September.
The most recent instance of serious head trauma has led some to speculate that Tagovailoa may retire. The quarterback admitted ahead of last season that he had been considering it after the 2022 season. Ultimately, he returned to the field. Recent reports have indicated that Tagovailoa has no plans to retire after his latest concussion.
The Dolphins placed their quarterback on injured reserve after the Week 2 concussion, so Tagovailoa won’t be playing in Miami’s “Monday Night Football” clash with the Tennessee Titans.
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Tua Tagovailoa concussion and injury history
Tagovailoa played two injury-free seasons in his true freshman and sophomore years at Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide to a College Football Playoff National Championship win in 2018 after replacing Jalen Hurts in the second half, then led the team back to the championship game in 2019 as the full-time starter.
In 2019, Tagovailoa suffered his first big injury: a high ankle sprain against Tennessee in the Crimson Tide’s seventh game of the season. He underwent surgery as a result but returned three weeks later.
One week after his return, the then-21-year-old suffered a slew of injuries on the same play against Mississippi State. While taking a sack against the Bulldogs, Tagovailoa fractured his pelvis, dislocated his hip, broke his nose and suffered his first concussion. It was the last game he played at Alabama before declaring for the 2020 NFL draft.
The injury bug came for Tagovailoa again once he reached the NFL. Four weeks after he took over the Dolphins’ starting job in his rookie season, the quarterback jammed his thumb during practice and had to miss a game.
In 2021, the then-second-year quarterback fractured several ribs in a Week 2 game against the Bills, causing him to miss the next three games.
The 2022 season was Tagovailoa’s worst year for injuries yet.
In a Week 3 game against the Bills, the signal-caller left the game after taking a hit then stumbling to the ground while trying to walk back to the huddle. He eventually returned from what the Dolphins called a back injury, though the NFLPA raised concerns that Miami might have violated concussion protocols in the game.
One week later, Tagovailoa hit his head hard when taking a sack against the Bengals in the second quarter. He demonstrated a “fencing response” after the hit – a response to traumatic brain injury symptomized by unnaturally flexed hands and curled fingers – and later told reporters it left him unconscious. The quarterback went to the hospital for the head and neck injuries he suffered. Tagovailoa returned to the field after missing two games.
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