Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was ruled out with a concussion after taking a major hit in the second half of Thursday's NFL contest against the Buffalo Bills.
With less than five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Tagovailoa tucked the ball and scrambled up the middle on fourth-and-four. Just as the quarterback crossed the first down line, he attempted to lower his shoulder and crashed hard into the chest of Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Slow-motion replay of the hit showed Tagovailoa's neck whip back after making contact with Hamlin. The 26-year-old promptly crashed to the turf, with his right hand balling up in a fist and his arm pointing straight into the air.
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Dolphins trainers swiftly rushed to Tagovailoa's aid and helped walk him off the field. Upon reaching the sideline, Miami head coach Mike McDaniel embraced his player and kissed him on the head. The Bills went on to win Thursday's game 31-10.
Just six minutes after leaving the field and being escorted to the locker room, Tagovailoa was diagnosed with a concussion and promptly ruled out of the game. He finished the night 17-of-25 for 145 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions, and was replaced by fellow signal-caller Skylar Thompson.
Tagovailoa's recent injury has raised alarms, especially due to his troubling history with concussions. He had a frightening episode back in 2022 during a game against the Bills, where he tried walking back to the huddle after a hit and ended up stumbling.
Only days later, while facing off against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tagovailoa experienced another brutal knock. He was aggressively thrown down, hitting his head on the ground so hard that his fingers locked up - an alarming symptom of brain trauma. Following this incident, he was rushed to hospital from the field.
Subsequent to these daunting experiences, Tagovailoa didn't shy away from admitting retirement crossed his mind, but confirmed staying with the NFL.
"I always dreamed of playing as long as I could to where my son knew exactly what he was watching his dad do," he told reporters last April. "Yeah, it’s my health, it’s my body. I feel like this is what’s best for me and my family. I love the game of football. If I didn’t, I would’ve quit a long time [ago].”
In a bid to reduce the risk of head injuries, Tagovailoa incorporated weekly judo training sessions into his 2023 offseason routine. The aim was to master the art of falling more safely. "We've got a plan set up," he explained in February. "I'll be doing judo on Fridays just so that I can kind of figure out understanding my body and how to fall... Just trying to help myself."
The strategy seemed effective, as Tagovailoa avoided concussions throughout the 2023 season.
