Calls grow for Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to retire after concussion : NPR

It was a routine run for a primary down, the sort that quarterbacks do each week within the Nationwide Soccer League.

However Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins leaned headfirst into the sort out, and the impression towards the defender’s chest despatched his head sharply to the left. Afterward, he collapsed to the bottom, together with his proper fist balled and raised into the air in what gave the impression to be a telltale signal of mind harm.

Later in the course of the Thursday-night recreation, the Miami Dolphins made it official: Tagovailoa had suffered a concussion, the most recent for the 26-year-old whose profession had already come to be outlined by his worrying historical past of mind harm.

Now, Tagovailoa’s concussion has prompted a dramatic response by followers and former gamers alike who’ve urged him to retire — a mirrored image of a rising consciousness among the many American public of the dangers of the long-term mind injury that may comply with hits to the top.

“If I am him, at this level, I am critically contemplating retiring from soccer. If that was my son, I would be like, ‘It is perhaps time.’ These things shouldn’t be what you mess around with,” mentioned Tony Gonzalez, a Corridor of Fame tight finish for the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons, talking after the sport as an analyst on Amazon Prime’s broadcast.

Throughout social media, former gamers and followers alike shared the identical sentiment. “He must retire for his longevity well being issues,” wrote Dez Bryant, the retired Dallas Cowboys large receiver.

“Actually hope Tua is okay, however he’s gotta critically take into consideration shutting it [down],” mentioned Shannon Sharpe, the previous Denver Broncos tight finish. “His concussions are getting worse and worse and he’s a younger man together with his complete life forward of him.”

Concussions and repeated blows to the top are key threat components in long-term mind accidents, together with continual traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, a severe situation that may trigger early dementia and loss of life.

“There isn’t any magic variety of concussions to require retirement,” mentioned Chris Nowinski, a former soccer participant {and professional} wrestler who later pursued neuroscience and now heads the Concussion Legacy Basis.

“All of it will depend on how he recovers from this one, however having too many concussions can result in continual signs and psychological well being issues,” Nowinski continued, writing on the social media website X. “He is in a really powerful spot.”

A small variety of NFL gamers have left the game early over issues about their neurological well being, together with the Carolina Panthers All-Professional linebacker Luke Kuechly and the San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland, who retired after just one season within the NFL.

“With Tua, there’s the added stress of being the star of the franchise, the participant that they are constructing round,” Borland advised NPR in 2022. “It is important that gamers are higher protected as a result of, if left to their very own units, for 100 completely different incentives, we’d do something to get again on the sector.”

In 2022, the NFL revised its concussion analysis protocol after Tagovailoa was allowed to re-enter a recreation after sustaining what gave the impression to be a head harm when he was cleared by medical analysis. In one other recreation simply 4 days later, he hit his head once more, this time with a proper analysis of concussion. Weeks later, he sustained yet one more concussion and missed the remainder of the season.

Forward of the 2023 season, Tagovailoa had devoted his offseason to turn out to be much less weak to concussions. He took jiu jitsu courses and educated in find out how to roll his physique when falling, moderately than permitting his head to hit the turf.

The season that adopted was one of the best of his profession. He led the league in passing yards and steered the Dolphins to an 11-6 report, their most wins since 2008. In July, he was rewarded with a $212 million contract extension.

Ought to he select to retire, how a lot of that compensation he’ll obtain will rely upon whether or not he’s medically cleared to return to soccer.

If he’s cleared to play however retires anyway, Tagovailoa will forgo $124 million. If he’s medically compelled into retirement, he’ll gather that cash, in line with Spotrac, a service that tracks skilled sports activities contracts.

After the hit throughout Thursday’s recreation, Tagovailoa walked off the sector with out help, and the Dolphins reported that he was capable of communicate with medical employees within the locker room.

On Friday, head coach Mike McDaniel declined to take a position a few timeline for Tagovailoa’s return. “The very best factor I can do shouldn’t be attempt to assess what this even means from a soccer standpoint,” McDaniel mentioned. “Making an attempt to fulfill [timelines], making an attempt to evaluate what this implies for taking part in — that is heavy stuff.”

As of Friday morning, Tagovailoa had not commented publicly on his choices.