Tua Tagovailoa exits game after another scary looking hit

[True Dough]

He got his bell rung yet again. Skylar Thompson comes in as QB for the Fins in the 3rd quarter.

Link to tweet

[kansasobama]

1. Hope he is okay

I am a Bills fan but I hate for that young man, my fellow human being, to have so many injuries. Praying no concussion.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

2. It IS a concussion... the guy needs to learn to slide!!

[ProfessorGAC]

20. Heard About That, Today

While QBs are trained to slide, some ex-NFL guys were saying that on a 2nd half, in a "rivalry" game where your team is getting kicked around, competitive instincts overcome better judgment.
They know how to slide, they know they should, but their instincts betray that planning.
Perhaps having that level of drive is needed to couple with talent even to get to the highest level.
I don't know that there is a way to overcome a basic instinct in the moment, no matter what the intentions before the moment presents itself.
If Tua were wise, he'd retire. He just proved his competitive juices overwhelmed his common sense.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

25. Well said!!

[RockRaven]

3. That's not a bell ringing, that's a concussion with a fencing response.

And, jesus, it even made it into the Wikipedia article for "Fencing response" already, in the section "Fencing displays in a televised game."

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fencing_response

[True Dough]

5. Where I come from

getting one's "bell rung" means: To receive a violent blow or injury, especially to the head and as might stun, concuss, or incapacitate.

Just as The Free Dictionary states.

https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/getting+your+bell+rung

[RockRaven]

8. Okay. Where I come from that term carries/d with it a euphemistic/minimizing implication

that it is/was something to shake off or dismiss and isn't/wasn't a "real" injury.

[calguy]

4. They just said he has a concussion

Will not return to the game.

[kansasobama]

6. Hope it is a minor one

He should not be trying to go down with his head like that. I thought he had learned some trick.

[Princess Turandot]

7. Yikes. Here's the full play...

Link to tweet

He lowers his helmet and runs headfirst into Hamlin. It looked like he was trying to get past him/ shove him aside.

[exboyfil]

11. 200 pound safety who is all muscle

Tua should know by now to not lower his head. He very easily could have had a major spine injury to go with the concussion.

[tishaLA]

9. He's had way too many brain injuries

For his own good and it's very worrying. I can't understand him wanting to continue with the sport when your history strongly suggests a future that will include severe memory loss and, too often, suicide. And if he continues playing, he more than probably anyone should be wearing that special ridiculous looking helmet that provides extra protection.

As much as I love football, it's the thing that makes me feel guilty about being a fan.

[littlemissmartypants]

13. If one has brain damage as is documented by his previous injuries,

Last edited Fri Sep 13, 2024, 07:21 PM - Edit history (1)

it's highly likely that there has been damage to the prefrontal cortex. This is very problematic because that area, in part, is responsible for executive function, which means that the ability to make reasonable decisions is going to be impaired.

He may literally be unable to make decisions in his own best interest because of his repeated injuries to his brain.

I'm wondering who's looking out for him in this regard. He probably needs some help.

It makes me sad to think about the possibility he is being manipulated to his detriment. Which could very well be the case.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/prefrontal-cortex-5220699

The prefrontal cortex is involved in executive functions like controlling behavior, regulating emotions, planning, decision-making, problem-solving, and balancing short-term rewards with long-term goals.
Snip...

[yonder]

10. Didn't the NFL establish a limit on number of lifetime concussions?

Isn't he close to that limit?

[True Dough]

16. I had not heard that

so I went looking and couldn't find anything to that effect. The only thing I saw was that the NFL is now tracking and publicizing concussion figures among players and the league is emphasizing that it's new kick return rule should reduce concussions in those limited situations. There's also improvements in helmets being studied.

From an article on nfl.com:

The number of concussions remained largely stable from last season -- 219, including those suffered in preseason and regular-season games and practices. That is up from 213 in 2022, but still well below the high of 281 a few years ago...

Sills said there were 422 evaluations for concussions last season and another focus of the offseason will be trying to figure out how to drive down the number of concussions. The league looks at those who suffer a high volume of head impacts -- like offensive and defensive linemen -- and those who are hit at high velocity, as typically happens during a tackle in space.

Among the promising developments is the success of the Guardian Cap, the extra layer of protection worn by some position groups during preseason and regular-season practices, which produced a 48 to 50 percent reduction in concussions for the position groups that wore them. And this offseason, the NFL expects as many as eight more position-specific helmets coming on the market for quarterbacks and linemen.

"Obviously, while concussions are stable, we want to see them go down," Sills said. "We believe the game can continue to be made safer."

https://operations.nfl.com/updates/the-game/nfls-prioritization-of-player-safety-leads-to-promising-injury-data-for-2023-season/

[yonder]

18. Yes, thank you. I snooped around a little too with no luck.

I must be mis-remembering something related to this. 70 year old neurons aren't helping either.

[True Dough]

19. We need a better solution for concussions

and to figure out how to slow down the passage of time!

[MorbidButterflyTat]

12. It's a real shame

He had the first down, there was no need to plow into Hamlin like that. Poor guy.

Anyone catch McDaniel's press conference after the game? He didn't sound right at all. Just rambling responses after every question.

Hope Tua's okay.

[littlemissmartypants]

14. With a damaged brain,

he can't be entirely capable of making sound decisions during play. He most likely repeatedly, unwittingly, will keep making very bad decisions while on the field as folks have pointed out here.

The same bad decisions which are compounding his brain damage, which is causing those bad decisions that lead him to repeatedly injure himself.

Someone needs to do a better job looking out for him. He may not be capable of doing that for himself.

Good share, TD.

❤️

[True Dough]

17. Thanks, LMSP

Imagine being 26 years old and facing the prospect of having to retire as an NFL starting quarterback due to multiple concussions. It wouldn't be easy to foresake the remainder of your career, but it's clearly the choice in your best interest.

In the National Hockey League, there was a promising player named Brett Lindros who was forced to confront the same reality:

Lindros, who reportedly suffered seven concussions over a four-year period, said he decided to retire after three specialists, an Islanders’ doctor and his own physician told him he would risk brain damage, impaired vision and slurred speech if he returned.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/archive-in-1996-up-and-comer-brett-lindros-forced-into-retirement-due-to-head-injuries#:~:text=Lindros%2C%20who%20reportedly%20suffered%20seven,slurred%20speech%20if%20he%20returned.

His older brother, Eric, a star player, also had his career cut short by eight known concussions. Pat Lafontaine, Paul Kariya, Keith Primeau, Scott Stevens and Mike Richter are others who met similar fates. Hockey, like football, is a high-impact sport.

[littlemissmartypants]

22. We only get one brain and it runs everything.

It's not like transplants are a thing here.

Tua is his own worst nightmare. I'm totally convinced that his risky plays are a result of the brain damage he's already sustained causing him to keep damaging his brain repeatedly.

That is until someone who has sway, sense and some compassion pulls him out. Or he suffers a catastrophic acute injury which is very likely, imo.

Here's my reply to tishaLA...

13. If one has brain damage as is documented by his previous injuries, it's highly likely that there has been damage to the prefrontal cortex. This is very problematic because that area, in part, is responsible for executive function, which means that the ability to make reasonable decisions is going to be impaired.

He may literally be unable to make decisions in his own best interest because of his repeated injuries to his brain.

I'm wondering who's looking out for him in this regard. He probably needs some help.

It makes me sad to think about the possibility he is being manipulated to his detriment. Which could very well be the case.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/prefrontal-cortex-5220699

The prefrontal cortex is involved in executive functions like controlling behavior, regulating emotions, planning, decision-making, problem-solving, and balancing short-term rewards with long-term goals.
Snip...

[exboyfil]

15. He has $167M in injury guarantees

On his current contract. He needs a medical professional to decide it is too great s risk for him to go back onto the field. He did this to himself. He doesn't seem to know how to protect himself or can't reason through it anymore.

[ProfessorGAC]

21. A Bit Ironic, Too

The collision was with Damar Hamlin, who is the guy who had that freak cardiac episode last year.
Two guys with a history of potentially catastrophic collision injuries were both involved in this event.
I heard on ESPN, that Hamlin was pretty shook up about it.

[True Dough]

23. Hamlin does seem like a good guy

When Tua bounced off him and went down, that was it. You can imagine that there are some defensive backs in the league who would have taken the liberty of getting an extra shot in there because they're vicious competitors.

[True Dough]

24. The list of people calling for Tua's retirement

is growing...

Antonio Pierce thinks Tua should retire

Link to tweet

Tony Gonzalez, Shannon, AB Urge Tua Tagovailoa To Retire After Latest Concussion

Link to tweet

[JT45242]

26. As someone with concussion issues. He needs to retire

That was not a vicious helmet to helmet collision. That was Tua diving for a first down, head first, into the torso of the defender. This kind of collision occurs in football literally dozens of not hundreds of times a game and he crumpled into a defensive position.

He cannot avoid that kind of hit.

I have sheer damage to my brain from concussions according to MRI scans. I'm lucky. It only affects fine motor control in my hands. I don't type as well. I sometimes struggle with not spilling food off a fork or spoon.

Tua should have retired after the concussions a couple of years ago in back to back games.

That play on Thursday indicates pretty clearly he cannot safely play football anymore.

At some later date, it will be time to call out the stupidity of the dolphins for giving him the contract that they did and the dead cap hit it will be.

[MomInTheCrowd]

27. If the NFL really cared they would

- honor his retirement
- pay out the contract guarantee
- not have it impact the salary cap

…. If they really cared

[JT45242]

28. They will honor guaranteed part of contract and honor the retirement

The salary cap thing is there because it prevents teams from putting phony years at end of older player contracts.

There is always a risk to giving a lot of guaranteed money to a player with an injury history.

[MomInTheCrowd]

29. Good point

They are gonna have to figure out how to address this. It is really sad.

[True Dough]

30. As could be expected

Tua has been placed on the injured reserve. Hopefully he decides to call it a career.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41303577/source-dolphins-placing-tua-tagovailoa-ir-concussion