Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) rolls out as he seems to go throughout a recreation towards the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, September 29, 2022, in Cincinnati. Matt Patterson, Related Press
Tua Tagovailoa will make his first begin on Sunday since sustaining a concussion on “Thursday Evening Soccer” towards the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29, and the Miami Dolphins quarterback is lastly talking publicly about that night time.
The Bengals’ Josh Tupou sacked Tagovailoa within the second quarter, inflicting the quarterback to smack his head towards the turf. He laid on the bottom for 12 minutes earlier than being carted off, in response to ESPN.
After struggling head and neck accidents, he was taken to a hospital in Cincinnati. He was capable of fly again to Miami with the remainder of the staff the subsequent day.
On Wednesday, Tagovailoa met with the media and fielded questions in regards to the night time of his concussion.
Tua Tagovailoa: ‘I used to be unconscious’
When requested by a reporter if he was scared like everybody else watching on tv, Tagovailoa admitted that he was unconscious for a few of it and didn’t know what was occurring.
“I wouldn’t say it was scary for me on the time as a result of there was a degree the place I used to be unconscious, so I couldn’t actually inform what was occurring,” he mentioned. “After I did come to and sort of realized what was occurring, what was occurring, I didn’t consider something long-term or short-term. I used to be simply questioning what occurred.”
Tagovailoa remembers all the pieces main as much as the sack. The identical can’t be mentioned for the moments after.
“After I obtained tackled, I don’t bear in mind a lot from there,” he mentioned. “Getting carted off, I don’t do not forget that, however I do bear in mind issues that have been occurring once I was within the ambulance after which once I arrived on the hospital.”
When Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel went onto the sector to examine on his quarterback, he may inform Tagovailoa was concussed, in response to the New York Publish.
“As soon as I obtained out to the sector, I knew instantly that this was at the very least a concussion,” he mentioned after the sport. “He was asking for me, and when he noticed me, I may simply inform that it wasn’t the identical man that I’m used to seeing.”
Navigating concussion protocol
Within the wake of the harm, the Dolphins positioned Tagovailoa in concussion protocol. He met with medical doctors in Pittsburgh and Detroit earlier than being cleared to play, NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reported.
Tagovailoa missed the previous two video games, regardless of being cleared to play final week. He mentioned navigating concussion protocol and the investigation the NFL Gamers Affiliation launched after his harm has been probably the most hectic a part of the final three weeks.
“However all of it’s executed for participant security,” he mentioned. “I’m glad I obtained to undergo these issues to sort of perceive extra of the offers of concussions and the consequences long-term, short-term (and) issues like that.”
Reporters then requested the quarterback about his threat of creating CTE. He shared a number of the insights he realized from the varied medical doctors he had spoken with over the previous couple of weeks.
“There’s not essentially as a lot long-term threat,” he mentioned, in response to Professional Soccer Community. “Let’s say guys get about six concussions. Effectively, these guys that solely have six concussions which are enjoying the place that I’m enjoying, the place we don’t hit as a lot, are much less vulnerable to getting CTE afterward of their years than somebody who’s enjoying a place the place they’re continually taking hits or blows to the top, which might be O-line, D-line, linebackers.”
Will Tagovailoa play otherwise going ahead?
The Dolphins have been 3-0 earlier than Tagovailoa’s concussion however went 0-3 in his absence, shedding to the Bengals, Jets and Vikings.
Tagovailoa mentioned it was laborious to look at his staff from the sideline with out having the ability to assist them, however he acknowledged that if he needs to proceed to play with them, then he wants to guard himself.
“I’ve at all times been an individual to try to like make one thing occur,” he instructed the media. “That’s at all times been my mindset, if you'll, and throwing the ball away hasn’t been one thing I’ve executed up to now very well as a result of I’m attempting to make performs. Simply studying from that, if it’s not there you realize, it’s okay to throw it away. It’s the longevity of me simply having the ability to be the quarterback for this staff and never attempt to make one thing out of nothing.”