Aaron Rodgers advises Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa to ‘consider shutting it down’ for rest of the season

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has said Tua Tagovailoa to ‘consider shutting it down’ for the remainder of the NFL season.

Tagovailoa entered concussion protocol for the third time this season following the Dolphins’  26-20 loss to the resurgent Green Bay Packers.

There have been concerns about his current and long-term health since vision of his latest hit came to the fore. 

Speaking Tuesday on his usual spot on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers expressed concern for his colleague. 

‘Now it’s probably time to maybe consider shutting it down when you’ve had some episodes,’ Rodgers told McAfee and ex-teammate, A.J. Hawk. 

‘I don’t know if that’s going to be in the thought process. But, as competitors, that’s the last thing you want. 

‘But, at some point, you do have to start thinking about your cognitive function later in life and the after-effects you might be dealing with.’ 

Fans thought Tagovailoa might have got concussed from being taken down on a play shortly before halftime in the Dolphins defeat.

Though Tagovailoa played the rest of the game but uncharacteristically threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter.

Tua Tagovailoa appeared to get hurt in the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers

Tagovailoa’s second concussion on the season occurred after being ripped to the turf by 6-foot-3, 340-pound Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou, saw him taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to hospital after going into the fencing position. 

It was only four days after the incident in the Bills game, where he was wobbly on his feet after hitting his head on the ground.

Resultantly, Rodgers offered his thoughts and well-wishes on Tagovailoa’s road to recovery.

‘I wish him all the healing necessary for his brain and just the patience just to deal with this, which will be a difficult time, I’m sure, dealing with all the attention,’ Rodgers added. 

The 24-year-old Tagovailoa appeared concussed on week three – he was wobbly on his feet after a hit against the Buffalo Bills 

Head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that there had been no concerns over Tagovailoa’s wellbeing during the game.

He was not taken out of the game or evaluated for a concussion even after the incident where fans suspect he got concussed.

‘As far as the game was concerned, no one recognized anything with regard to any sort of hit,’ McDaniel said.

Four days later, he was off on a stretcher after being concussed against Cincinnati Bengals

‘I care very deeply about each and every player. I just want him to get healthy and have peace of mind in that regard. Whatever those circumstances are, you deal with after. It’s about the human being and making sure he’s squared away.’

Ahead of Week 17, Miami hold the seventh – and final – playoff spot in the AFC. With a trip to New England awaiting the Dolphins can ill afford to be missing their starting quarterback. 

‘It´s too soon to really tell,’ McDaniel said of Tagovailoa’s availability. ‘You just know that someone goes into the protocol and you have to be ready to really do whatever with that.’