CINCINNATI– Miami Dolphins strategist Tua Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital with head and neck injuries sustained during a second quarter sack in Thursday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Tagovailoa hit the back of his head on the ground when he was sacked by the Bengals nose tackle Josh Tupu, and his arms seemed to seize up almost immediately. He remained on the pitch for about 10 minutes before being loaded onto a stretcher and taken away.
The Dolphins said shortly before halftime that he was conscious and had movement in all of his extremities at the hospital, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. Shortly before the end of the match, the Amazon Prime Video show reported that Tagovailoa was expected to be released from the hospital on Thursday evening and return to Miami with the team.
The entire Dolphins squad gathered in midfield as he was taken off, and the crowd chanted “Tua! Tua!”
In Sunday’s win against Buffalo Tickets, Tagovailoa suffered concussion evaluations at halftime after hitting his head on the ground and then tripping while trying to return to huddle. The team initially listed him as doubtful to return with a head injury, but later said it was a back injury that tripped him up. Tagovailoa said later in the week that he passed all the assessments he underwent before finally returning to play.
The NFL Players Association has called for a review of the NFL’s concussion protocols following Tagovailoa’s early return to play.
“The health and safety of the players is at the heart of the union’s mission. Our concern tonight is with Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential breach of protocol is ongoing,” the NFLPA said in a statement after Tagovailoa was injured on Thursday night.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday the health of his players is something he does not take lightly, that the team will comply with any review or investigation, and that he feels “good” with him. the whole process.
“The one thing that I think our players know better than anyone, there are certain things that I’m very sensitive to. I’ve been called emotional from time to time, and one of those things is player health.” , McDaniel said. “So I’m not kidding about that at all. … They followed the protocols and in that process during the game, and that’s something that we wouldn’t have moved in the direction that we went, if he there had been all kinds of red flags because it’s – you can’t keep quarterbacks out of harm’s way, so you wouldn’t – if he had a problem with his head, he wouldn’t have come back there- down.”
Tagovailoa, 24, was listed as doubtful with a back injury for most of the week ahead of Thursday night’s game.
Before leaving the game, Tagovailoa was 8 of 14 for 100 yards and an interception.
Teddy Bridgewater entered instead of Tagovailoa; the Dolphins had a rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson also active for the first time in his career.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.