Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has once again been placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol, according to head coach Mike McDaniel, after a late tackle against the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day caused the back of his head to hit the ground with some force.
The former Alabama quarterback began the 2022 NFL season with a chip on his shoulder and played at a high level for most of the year.
Though he has been bitten by the injury bug throughout his college and NFL careers, the 2022 season brought forth a new issue for Tagovailoa: concussions.
In Week 3 against the Buffalo Bills, Tagovailoa took a late hit that forced him to fall back and hit his head on the ground. When he attempted to stand up, his legs were wobbly, and he initially had difficulty standing on his own. The decision to let him continue playing the rest of the game led to a controversial debate for that week.
One week later against the Cincinnati Bengals, Tagovailoa was slammed to the ground, causing him to lose motor function resulting in the quarterback needing to be carted off the field and taken to a local hospital. He missed multiple weeks while recovering.
On Monday, one day after the loss to the Packers, Tagovailoa was placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol, leaving his status for Sunday’s must-win game against the New England Patriots up in the air.
The Dolphins currently hold the seventh seed in the AFC playoff race, but what’s most important for the team is to ensure Tagovailoa’s health and safety.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Tagovailoa’s journey to recovery as more information becomes available.
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