Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will return to NFL action this weekend for the first time since suffering a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals last month.
The concussion came just four days after many had believed he suffered another concussion in the stunning win over the Buffalo Bills. Miami were highly-scrutinised for their handling of the precarious situation, with several leading neuroscientists warning the quarterback of the dangers of having two concussions in quick succession.
Dr Bennet Omalu, the first doctor to discover and publish findings on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American Football players had told Tagovailoa that he should retire immediately. However, the 24-year-old will return on Sunday when the 3-3 Dolphins face the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.
It represents an opportunity for the Dolphins to get their season back on track after losing three straight matches in his absence. However, many still harbour unsettled feelings following the traumatic scenes on Thursday Night Football back in Week Four.
Tagovailoa was briefly hospitalised with head and neck injuries following the incident before being discharged and returning to Florida along with the team the next morning. The scary scenes came after the Hawaiian star was wobbly on his feet against the Bills but returned to lead Miami to the win.
Tagovailoa left the field with what was initially described by the Dolphins as a head injury before subsequently returning to the game amid fanfare online. He was listed as ‘questionable’ ahead of the Bengals match but he was ultimately cleared to play.
Following a wave of criticism after the incident, the NFL and the NFL Players Association have since addressed the issue of concussions in the sport. The amended protocol, which took effect during Week Five’s games, prohibit a player from returning to play if he shows ataxia.
Ataxia is when someone shows impaired balance or coordination caused by damage to the brain or nerves. Going forwards, the Dolphins have reportedly spoken to Tagovailoa about the need to ‘concede’ on some plays in order to better protect the quarterback and lead to greater longevity in his NFL career.
“There's risks in this game and you've got to be able to control the controllables,” McDaniel said earlier this week. “You love his competitive nature, but there is a time in a play where you have to kind of concede.
“That's where he's kind of been focusing on because it's something that's not natural to him. He wants to break every tackle, and he doesn't like when plays don't work.
“Well, sometimes they won't. That's something that he's mindful of, and I think that that's a consistency that all the really great quarterbacks that you think of have, the guys that you look up to, they find ways to be available.
“You need to be able to understand your importance to the team and how sometimes the best play you can make is to throw the ball away.”
