Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire from football after suffering his third concussion, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Sunday.
Rapoport added that Tagovailoa is already seeing concussion specialists and will continue to do so. However, there is no timetable for his possible return to the field, with Rapoport saying that he’ll take his time to come back once he’s healthy and ready to do so.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter also reported early Sunday morning that Tagovailoa was scheduled to meet with neurologists early this week, searching for “input into the severity of his latest concussion and the cumulative effect of the ones he has suffered in the past to make the most informed decision about his future.”
Tagovailoa suffered a concussion after rushing for a first down in the third quarter of the Dolphins’ game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday. Tagovailoa ran into Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin, hit his head on the ground and then appeared stunned. Although he was able to walk off the field, he was later diagnosed with a concussion for the fourth time in his life.
Tagovailoa, 26, suffered two concussions in the NFL before this one, with both occurring in the 2022 season. He confessed that he considered retiring because of them. He also had a diagnosed concussion while playing at Alabama in 2019.
His decision not to hang up his cleats comes in the midst of other players and coaches publically saying that he should retire, citing health concerns.
“That’s it… NFL go ahead and do the right thing,” former Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant said on X following the initial injury on Thursday night. “Tua has had entirely way too many concussions. He needs to retire for his longevity health concerns.”
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel was asked about his quarterback on Friday and pleaded with reporters to not add stress to an already delicate situation by calling for him to do one thing or another with his career. He made it clear that he didn’t want to talk about his own opinion as to whether or not Tagovailoa should retire.
“I think it would be so wrong of me to even sniff that subject and it’s more in line with actually caring about the human being,” McDaniel said. “That’s something that entirely, you’re talking about his career. His career is his.”
“I just wish that people would, for a second, hear what I’m saying. That bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him.”
Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce also spoke on the topic Friday, saying that he’d tell him to retire and that “it’s not worth it.”
“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 added.
