Miami Dolphins DID follow concussion protocol with Tua Tagovailoa, says the NFL – despite the quarterback coming BACK onto the field after appearing unsteady on his feet from a brutal hit
- Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa suffered an apparent head injury on Sunday
- Teammates had to help him stand upright after his head slammed to the turf
- Instead of being removed, he returned to lead an upset victory over Buffalo
- Tagovailoa later said he passed concussion protocol and just had a back injury
- The NFL Players Association informed the league that it wants to launch a review
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The NFL announced Wednesday that they were reviewing the incident in Miami that saw Tua Tagovailoa come back into the game, after he stumbled to the ground following hitting his head on the turf.
During the hit the back of Tagovailoa’s head violently struck the turf, before a flag was thrown on Bills linebacker Matt Milano. Upon getting up Tagovailoa appeared to shake his head clear before stumbling and being helped up by teammates.
Upon returning to the field in the second half, the Dolphins announced that Tagovailoa had suffered a back injury and was not concussed.
Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins lays on the turf during the second quarter
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) is assisted off the field after he was injured during the first half of an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday
Tagovailoa described the incident later, saying he aggravated a back injury.
‘On the quarterback sneak, I kind of got my legs got caught under someone and they were trying to push back and it felt like I kind of hyperextended my back or something,’ Tagovailoa told reporters after helping improve to 3-0 on the year. ‘Then on the next play, I kinda hit my back… that’s where I stumbled.’
Tagovailoa said he ‘passed whatever concussion protocol they had,’ adding, ‘I’m good.’
However, Chris Nowinski, a Harvard-educated neuroscientist and critic of the handling of concussions in the NFL, took issue with that explanation on Twitter.
‘I’m calling bulls*** on the ”back tweak theory,”’ Nowinski tweeted. ‘Watch the vid. Tua shakes his head multiple times to ‘clear the cobwebs’, which is a specific sign of vision impairment after #concussion. He also wobbles getting up before falling. His return is a fail @NFL.’
Nowinski was not the only person on social media saying that the NFL dropped the ball by allowing Tagovailoa to return to the game, with what they believed to be a obvious head injury.
Chris Nowinski, a neuroscientist and critic of the handling of concussions in the NFL, took issue with Tagovailoa’s ‘back injury’ explanation on Twitter
One Sunday NFL Networks Tom Pelissero reported that the NFLPA planned to investigate the handling of Tagovailoa’s concussion evaluation.
During a conversation with reporters on Wednesday NFL EVP of communications Jeff Miller told reporters on Wednesday that the review is expected to take one or two weeks.
As of now Tagovailoa is listed as questionable for Thursday Night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals, and according to multiple reports is doing everything in his power to take the field.
Head coach Mike McDaniel speaks with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins in the fourth quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday
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