Tua Yagovailoa (Photos via Getty Images)
Doctor Bennet Omalu has been a leading mind regarding head injuries in the NFL. He was one of the first people to discover CTE, and he is not advising Tua Tagovailoa to retire after suffering his third concussion in 24 months.
The concussion happened Thursday night when the Miami Dolphins hosted the Buffalo Bills for a Week 2 matchup. On a quarterback scramble, Tagovailoa dove head-first into Damar Hamlin’s chest and was immediately removed from the game.
Prayers for Tua Tagovailoa. Note his right hand balling into a fist and his arm going straight in the air. That’s posturing and a sign of loss of consciousness and a #concussion. Certainly out for the game. So sad. pic.twitter.com/e6wYIDVaZa
— Chris Nowinski, Ph.D. (@ChrisNowinski1) September 13, 2024
This injury is serious enough for Omalu to express his concerns about Tua’s playing career with TMZ. Omalu was also the inspiration for the movie Concussion, which features Will Smith.
“As the corporation placing him back to play,” Omalu said, “knowing fully well … that there is a significant and substantial risk that this individual could suffer subsequent catastrophic and permanent brain damage — then why would you place him back to play?”
“If I were his brother, his father, his uncle, cousin, nephew, if I were a member of his family,” Omalu continued, “I would beg him to retire.”
Many former players and even current coaches have already expressed that he should consider retiring, but hearing the same statement from someone who works so closely on the subject is much more compelling.
There’s No Clear Timetable For Tua Tagovailoa’s Return
Currently, Tua is labeled as questionable on the Dolphins depth chart, but it has already been confirmed that Skylar Thompson will be the starting quarterback for at least Week 3.
Of course, a third concussion should be taken much more seriously than a first, and there’s a chance he is put on the IR, meaning he would have to miss at least four weeks.
To be cleared to play, he must pass the NFL’s concussion protocols.
