Tua Tagovailoa made a shocking revelation Monday when he admitted that he wouldn’t wear a Guardian cap on the field, despite his latest concussion scare.
Tagovailoa slammed to the turf following a hit by Damar Hamlin during the third quarter of the Week 2 matchup and appeared to go straight into the fencing response.
Despite the scary scenes sparking calls from fans, analysts and former platers for the signal caller to hand up his cleats, the 26-year-old is nearing a return to the field.
But not only is Tagovailoa refusing to consider retirement, he’s also ruled out a potential safety measure.
The former Alabama star revealed to the media Monday that he would not wear a Guardian cap – the large, soft-shelled pads worn over football helmets to reduce the risk of head injuries – insisting that it was a ‘personal choice.’
Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve following his Week 2 head injury, forcing him to miss the past four games.
But Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that medical experts have deemed it safe for Tagovailoa to return with Miami aiming for him to play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Tagovailoa will practice on Wednesday and if that goes well, the plan is for him to start at home on Sunday for the Dolphins.
In his absence, Miami has played three different quarterbacks as they went 1-3 to slump to a 2-4 record for the season.
Skylar Thompson replaced him against Buffalo and started Week 3 before injuring his ribs. Tyler Huntley went 1-1 as a starter before getting hurt on Sunday in the third quarter against Indianapolis. Tim Boyle finished the game.
‘It’s got to be smart. That’s it. It’s got to be smart,’ Tagovailoa responded when asked if he intended to change his scrambling style of play at all on his return.
‘My entire time playing football, I’ve been a competitor and that is or was sort of my edge when I would run from high school. Even in college, I would do the same thing.
‘But it’s a professional setting. This is the professional level, the best of the best. You know, you just can’t be doing that. So definitely got to stay more available for the team, for the organization, for our guys.’
Tagovailoa collided with Bills safety Hamlin in the open field and led with his head instead of sliding. The signal caller went down after the collision, slamming his head on the Hard Rock turf.
He has now suffered three known concussions in the NFL, after his 2022 season was cut short by head injuries.
In Week 3 of that year, he was rocked by a huge tackle and went into the fencing response, but later returned to the game.
In Week 4, he exhibited concussion symptoms again after another brutal hit and was stretchered from the field.
Later in the season, in Week 16, he suffered yet another concussion, which ended his season, and sparked a change to the NFL’s concussion protocol.
And the latest scare has led many former players to call for Tagovailoa to put his health as a priority.
But, while Tagovailoa acknowledged the fears for his health, he maintained that his love of the game outweighed the risk.
‘I appreciate your concern,’ he said. ‘I really do. I love this game. And I love it to the death of me. That’s it.’
