Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa Faces Stark Warning From Former NFL Star After Injury

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a frightening injury during a game against the Buffalo Bills on September 25, according to ESPN, that has caused a ton of conversation online and within the NFL. Tagovailoa hit his head on the ground and had some trouble getting up and heading back to the team huddle which raised some concern. As a result, he was sent to the locker room for a concussion evaluation. He did, however, tell medical professionals that his trouble was due to a recent back and ankle injury which had previously been reported. Tagovailoa did pass the concussion evaluation and ended up returning to play in the game.

However, days later, Tagovailoa was hospitalized for yet another on-field head injury during a September 29 game. An investigation was then launched, and the NFL agreed that his head injury was not initially handled correctly, per Yahoo. As a result, it was announced that the NFL's concussion protocol would be updated to better protect the league's players.

A joint statement released by the NFL-NFLPA explained, "The Protocol will be modified to enhance the safety of the players." The statement went on to describe "mandatory 'no-go' symptoms," explaining, "If a player is diagnosed with 'ataxia' by any club or neutral physician involved in the application of the Concussion Protocol, he will be prohibited from returning to the game, and will receive the follow-up care required by the Protocol." In the wake of Tagovailoa's serious injury, the sports world is speaking out for his safety.

There was serious concern for Tua Tagovailoa after he stumbled on the field following a head injury and still returned to play in the game against the Buffalo Bills. About a week after the incident, People reported that the doctor who had cleared the quarterback, described as an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant, had been fired. There were allegedly "several mistakes" in the doctor's concussion evaluation which led to some serious cause for concern. He went on to start in a game just five days later against the Cincinnati Bengals, but things took another scary turn when Tagovailoa was sacked and momentarily unable to move. He was sent to the hospital and was later discharged after regaining movement in his body. Tagovailoa shared an update with his fans on Twitter shortly after, thanking them for their support and revealing that he is focused on recovering so that he could return to the field. However, former NFL player Jamal Lewis does not think that's the best idea.

Lewis told TMZ Sports that the Miami Dolphins quarterback needs to be very careful with how he proceeds with his football career as similar head injuries he has experienced have negatively impacted his "for years." While speaking to TMZ about post-concussion symptoms, he explained, "This is a silent creeper that can haunt you for the rest of your life slowly." 

Lewis further warned Tagovailoa, "You gotta be more smart and understand that you might have a family ... that you have other people that are more important than this game."

It's clear that Jamal Lewis is not the only person concerned for Tua Tagovailoa. Medical experts are also worried about the star quarterback returning to the field. Famous neuropathologist Bennet Omalu told TMZ that he believes Tagovailoa "suffered severe, long-term permanent brain damage" during the Bengals game. Despite Tagovailoa promising fans he would recover and return to playing, Omalu believes he should stop playing football altogether and "gallantly walk away." He warned, "Sometimes money is not more valuable than human life. $20 billion is not worth more than your brain."

Another concussion expert, Dr. Chris Nowinski, is evidently in agreement with Omalu as he believes Tagovailoa is at high risk for severe brain damage and should therefore sit out the rest of the season. He told People, "If he survives two concussions in four days, God bless him, but three concussions in a season, the odds that he has life-changing symptoms just keep increasing." 

At this time, it's unclear what Tagovailoa is planning to do about his football career going forward. The quarterback has been quiet on social media following his Twitter statement on September 30. He did sit out of the Miami Dolphins last game on October 9 against the New York Jets, according to ESPN, and his team suffered a major loss. Now, only time will tell how Tagovailoa chooses to move forward and if any of the advice he's been given will be taken into consideration.