miami dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa He has suffered from concussion several times in the last 24 months.
The latest head injury occurred during the Dolphins’ 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the first “Thursday Night Football” game of the regular season. Tagovailoa Hit by Bills safety Dumar Hamlin in the second half, resulting in the quarterback suffering the third brain concussion he had been diagnosed with since entering the NFL.
Tagovailoa’s recent scare has sparked discussion over whether he will be a regular in 2023 NFL Passing Yards Leader To better protect themselves for their families and to safeguard their long-term health, they should consider stepping away from the sport.
Tagovailoa’s football future was discussed on Friday’s edition of ESPN’s “First Take,” where Stephen A. Smith and “SportsCenter” anchor Ellie Duncan went into detail about a man’s willingness to sacrifice for his family.
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After “First Take” moderator Molly Qerim raised the question of whether Tagovailoa should end his NFL career, Smith shared his thoughts on the mental makeup of men and suggested that men’s mindsets are often different than women’s.
“Molly and Eli, I can say this: As men, our mindset is often different,” Smith began. “You’re willing to risk everything to secure the well-being of your family forever, even if you’re not around.”
Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa on being told to retire from NFL after recent injury: ‘It’s not worth it’
Smith also used an example to show the personal sacrifice he made while remaining committed to his profession.
“As a father, I’m always making some sacrifices. I’m not with my daughters as much as I want to be. I’m not with my family as much as I want to be. Sometimes they get upset about it and whatnot. I don’t care. And you know why I don’t care? Because I grew up starving. And as a result, whatever I do to ensure the well-being of my family, even if I’m not around — no matter how selfish it is — I’m willing to do it because I know what it’s like to grow up with nothing. These football players make these decisions every day as men. To provide, to protect. That’s our first priority. That’s how most of us think. And that plays a part in the decisions that men make.”
September 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) leaves the field with the training staff after suffering an apparent injury during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium. (Jason Winlove-Imagen Imagen Images)
Duncan responded to Smith, highlighting some of the sacrifices he made for his family.
“As a woman who has two scars from hip to hip because I’ve had two C-sections to try and have a family for my family, I understand the sacrifices that I make,” Duncan said. “As a Black woman in this country, which has an incredibly high mortality rate, I understand making sacrifices and trying to minimize the risk for my family, to expand my family and protect my family.
Duncan said he hopes Tagovailoa’s loved ones will come forward and “have a real conversation with him.”
“I’m just praying that anybody that’s standing by Tua’s side, that really believes in Tua and loves him, has a real conversation with him about what quality of life is like right now. We all go through an existential crisis at some point in our lives.”
September 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) is checked by trainers after suffering an apparent injury against the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. (Sam Navarro-Imagen Imagen Images)
Duncan then turned his attention to former NFL player Ryan Clark, who was part of the panel discussion.
“You host a podcast called “The Pivot,” and we all, at some point, have to step away from something that has defined us our whole lives,” he said. “I hope that somebody in that family, somebody in his corner who really loves him, will ask him to sit down and think long and hard about whether he wants to continue doing this.”
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Tagovailoa was running with the football in an attempt to gain enough yardage for a first down in the third quarter of Thursday’s game. Tagovailoa decided to lower his shoulder rather than slide when Hamlin approached him. The 26-year-old signal caller remained on the turf for a few minutes as medical personnel treated him. Tagovailoa was eventually able to walk to the Dolphins sideline.
The Dolphins plan to add another quarterback to the roster while Tagovailoa recovers from his recent concussion. However, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels made it clear that Tagovailoa’s health is everyone’s primary focus.
Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson will likely step into the starting role for the game against Miami Seattle Seahawks McDaniel expressed his support for Thompson, saying, “The team and the organization have total confidence in Skyler.”
McDaniels also said the team has not yet reached a decision on whether to place Tagovailoa on the injured reserve list. The quarterback is expected to undergo further evaluation in Miami on Friday.
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