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Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins quarterback, is back in the NFL’s concussion protocol following a game against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
“I care very deeply about each and every player,” McDaniel told reporters on Monday, according toCNN.
“I take that seriously, so I just want him to get healthy and have peace of mind in that regard,” he added. “That’s first and foremost, and then whatever the circumstances are after, you deal with after. It’s about the human being and making sure he’s squared away.”
Tagovailoa has struggled with concussions all season long, starting with the Dolphins' Sept. 25 game against the Buffalo Bills, which saw him briefly leave the game after hitting the back of his head on the field. He was later cleared to return to the field.
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Less than a week later, while the Dolphins' faced the Cincinnati Bengals, Tagovailoawas sacked, and again slammed his head into the ground.
Footage of Tagovailoa holding up his hands with his fingers frozen in place after the hit was circulated all over social media, and sparked renewed conversations about concussion safety in the NFL.
“Tua Tagovailoa shouldn’t play anymore this season if the NFL is serious about health and safety and concussions,” McFarland said on ESPN’sMonday Night Countdown, perYahoo Sports.
Added Griffin: “When we talk about these head injuries, it’s nothing to play with. You’ve got to put the person ahead of the player. I’m more concerned about Tua and his longevity with life than I am about whether he’s gonna play on Sunday… He should not play for the rest of the season.”
Repeated concussions over time have been found to lead toChronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disorder with a number of symptoms, such as memory loss, depression, and mood disorders.
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Miami is currently in second place in the AFC East with a record of 8-7.
After the Bengals game, Tagovailoa didn’t return to activities with the Dolphins until mid-October. The doctor who cleared him to return to the game against the Bills was subsequentlyfired.
Tagovailoa spoke with reporters about the incidents and revealed he was briefly knocked unconscious after his second concussion.
“I wouldn’t say it was scary for me at the time because there was a point where I was unconscious, so I couldn’t really tell what was going on,” Tagovailoa said at the time, perESPN. “When I did come to and kind of realized what was going on and what was happening, I didn’t think of anything long term or short term. I was just wondering what happened.”
source: people.com
