Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s new troubles, rattled in a second straight game on Thursday, will have the NFL Players Union considering legal action to determine whether the league and team Florida have done their homework well.
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Tagovailoa was hit in the head by Cincinnati Bengals rival Josh Tupau in the second quarter of a 27-15 loss. Having been transported to the hospital, he was subsequently discharged, not without several questions being raised. On Sunday, the 24-year-old pivot momentarily left the field during a game against the Buffalo Bills; knocked down to the ground, he seemed stunned, but came back into the game. His club mentioned a back injury, but the whole thing was followed by the triggering of an investigation by the NFLPA, which was rather skeptical of the Dolphins’ explanations for their management of concussion protocol.
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This time, the union is likely to be more insistent, especially if Tagovailoa’s absence is prolonged.
“We have been firm on these regulations precisely to avoid this kind of case, NFLPA director DeMaurice Smith told Amazon Prime Video of the importance in his eyes of imposing medical examinations immediately after a sequence likely to have caused a concussion. We will use all legal options at our disposal, which includes references against the doctors responsible and the football team who must ensure the safety of the players.
divergent opinions
Even before the start of Thursday’s game, some wondered about the presence of the Dolphins pivot. In this regard, the vice-president of communications of the NFL, Jeff Miller, said that the appropriate measures have been taken by the circuit Goodell.
“From our point of view, everything indicates that the protocol was followed correctly. I know the player, the head coach [Mike McDaniel] and the other individuals involved have talked about that,” he said.
However, the president and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, Chris Nowinski, is far from sharing this opinion, as he had clarified on his Twitter account.
“If Tua is on the field tonight (Thursday), it’s a huge step backwards for concussion care in the NFL. And if he suffers a second concussion that destroys his season or his career, everyone involved in this story will be prosecuted and should lose their jobs, which includes the instructors.
