Should Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa continue playing in the NFL?
Calls for the Dolphins quarterback to retire have only intensified since his most recent concussion. As things stand, he’s unmoved. So, what comes next?
It may have taken quite a few decades but today, we live in a world where modern science has made us understand that getting hit in the head too often is not good for the human brain. Indeed, most recently we saw the legendary Brett Favre announce his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, something he believes is directly linked to such hits throughout his career. With that, we come to the Dolphins’ signal-caller who appears to be facing a similar issue.
Tua Tagovailoa has no intention of calling it quits
Before we get to the rhetoric, a quick look at the facts is necessary: Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa recently suffered the third concussion of his career which immediately led to renewed calls for him to bring the curtain down on his career. Following the Week 3 hit, Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve which means he cannot play again until Week 7 at the earliest.
Now as much as many don’t want to see that happen, Tagovailoa himself has made it clear that he will be continuing his career in the NFL and moreover, would like to play again this season. With the Dolphins also standing firm on the idea that he is the franchise’s long-term choice under center, that scenario seems all the more likely to become a reality.
Where the details are concerned, it’s understood that the 26-year-old quarterback will be visiting with a neurologist this week to determine the severity of his concussion. For context, it’s been almost two weeks since Tagovailoa suffered his concussion during the Dolphins’ Week 2 clash with the Buffalo Bills. With ESPN reporting that he “feels fine,” one would think there is nothing to worry about. On the other hand, his health is understandably of great importance to the Dolphins when considering that the team is 1-7 in games that he has missed or had to leave early.
At this point, it’s clear that Tagovailoa’s situation is a tricky one but so too is the one that the Dolphins (1-2) face as they prepare for a Week 4 contest with the Tennesee Titans who are yet to register a win. As for Tagovailoa, he signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract extension this offseason with $167.2 million guaranteed, including $93.2 million fully guaranteed at signing. That’s to say that as much as we imagine he wants to get back to playing the game he loves, there’s also a financial incentive to do so as well.