Former NFL stars, as well as fans, are telling Tua Tagovailoa to consider hanging up his cleats after he suffered another concussion during Thursday night’s loss to the Bills.
The 26-year-old exited the game in the third quarter after going head-first into a Bills defensive back, Damar Hamlin, and was ruled out for the rest of the game due to a concussion.
This would be the third confirmed concussion of his career, which raises major concerns over his health.
Tagovailoa suffered two concussions during the 2022 NFL season, and that doesn’t include one where he hit his head and proceeded to stumble down the field. He was allowed to return to that game and was later ruled to have had a back injury and not a concussion.
Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe and former Cowboys standout Dez Bryant were two of the strongest voices who stated that Tua Tagovailoa should hang up his cleats for good.
“Really hope Tua is ok, but he’s gotta seriously think about shutting it down,” Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe wrote. “I H8 saying this. His concussions are getting worse and worse, and he’s a young man with his entire life ahead of him.”
“That’s it…. NFL go ahead and do the right thing. Tua has had entirely way too many concussions. He need to retire for his longevity health concern,” the former wide receiver wrote on X.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is not one of those people who plan on adding to that list.
Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel Pleads For Everybody To Stop Telling Tua Tagovailoa To Retire
Minutes after Tua Tagovailoa suffered his latest concussion Thursday, many called for him to finally retire for his long-term health.
His latest concussion comes less than two years after Tagovailoa suffered numerous head injuries in the 2022 season. He missed numerous games that year.
The talks around his concussions stopped after he played 18 games in 2023 without an injury.
Now, it has returned with a vengeance.
On Friday morning, McDaniel addressed reporters and made sure to stand beside his quarterback while fighting against suggestions that his quarterback should retire.
“You’re talking about his career. His career is his. I just wish people would, for a second, hear that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him,” McDaniel told reporters.
“I’m gonna plead with everybody that does genuinely care, that that should be the last thing on your mind.”
NEWS: #Dolphins Mike McDaniel says if you really care about Tua Tagovailoa the last thing you should be talking about is if he should retire
“I’m gonna plead with everybody that does genuinely care, that that should be the last thing on your mind.”
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) September 13, 2024
