Tua Tagovailoa’s football future is up in the air after his latest concussion, but he’s not in a rush to end his career just yet.
Although there is still a lot to consider, Tagovailoa reportedly has no plans to retire, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport. Per Rapoport, Tagovailoa does not have a timeline for his return, but has met with concussion specialists.
From @NFLGameDay: #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire, sources say. He’s already begun seeing concussion specialists and will continue to do so, but there is no timeline to return. Tua will be back when he and his doctors deem him healthy and ready. pic.twitter.com/Cc6aQI8HcZ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 15, 2024
The Miami Dolphins quarterback still has some thinking to do as he recovers, though. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that Tagovailoa planned to meet with neurologists early this week before making any big decisions about his football future.
Tagovailoa was knocked out of the Dolphins’ “Thursday Night Football” game earlier this week after lowering his head during a run-in with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. He was left reeling on the ground and did not return after being escorted from the field by trainers.
All concussions are concerning, but they get more concerning when a player has a history of head injuries. Tagovailoa certainly falls in that category, having considered retirement after sustaining multiple concussions in the 2022 season. He has been diagnosed with four concussions in his last five seasons of football.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel declined to offer any timeline for Tagovailoa’s return after the game, a 31-10 Dolphins loss:
“I’m just worried about the human being,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said. “I was just worried about my guy. It’s not something you ever want to be a part of. You hope not to.”
Another head coach, Antonio Pierce of the Las Vegas Raiders, went as far as telling reporters he would tell Tagovailoa to retire out of concern for his health.
“I’m just thinking at some point, you know, he’s gonna live longer than he’s gonna play football. Take care of your family,” Pierce said.
The question now is if the neurologists have similar advice.
