Speaking to reporters Monday for the first time since being diagnosed with the third concussion of his NFL career, the quarterback of the Dolphins He said he was frustrated by having to sit on the sidelines for the last four games, and was just as upset about having to answer questions about his health for the second time in two years.
“Do I want to be known for this? No, I don’t,” Tagovailoa said. “But those are the cards I’ve been dealt given the history of this. So it is what it is.”
Tagovailoa has been cleared by medical experts to return to play football after he collided with Bills defensive back Damar Hamlin in Week 2, when he ran for a first down and then initiated contact by lowering his shoulder toward Hamlin instead of sliding.
Technically, he still needs to be cleared into the NFL’s concussion protocol before returning, which could happen after he practices Wednesday. If all goes well, coach Mike McDaniel said, the plan is for Tagovailoa to start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
“Following the directive and the opinion of the medical experts, the reason he is returning now is because the medical experts have deemed it safe for him to return,” McDaniel said. “I don’t mess with deadlines or try to overstate the forecast. You rely on the experts on career issues, and that’s what we’re doing here.”
Tagovailoa ended up on his back with both hands in the air after the hit against Buffalo on Sept. 12, which occurred in the third quarter. Players from both teams immediately flagged down the coaches and pointed at him as if to suggest there was an injury. While on the ground, Tagovailoa appeared to be making a fist with his right hand, a movement consistent with what is known as the “fencing response,” which can be common after a traumatic brain injury.
Tagovailoa said he hasn’t experienced any symptoms since the next day, but was placed on injured reserve five days later.
When asked if he felt he should have been placed on injured reserve, Tagovailoa said he felt the team “did what was best” for him.
“What I do know is that I think the team did what was best for my benefit, knowing that I am a competitor,” Tagovailoa said. “Given what the doctors have told me, having a substantial amount of time to rest and recover would have been good for me. I think they did the best in terms of protecting me, you know, from myself.”
He has a history of head injuries since entering the NFL, as he was diagnosed with two concussions in 2022 and suffered another terrifying blow to the head that season, prompting changes to the NFL’s concussion rules.
Tagovailoa said he would not wear a Guardian cap, which is a soft helmet protective covering that some players have begun wearing during games. His teammate, De’Von Achane, wore one on Sunday after suffering a concussion in Week 5.
Tagovailoa has traveled across the country over the past month to meet with numerous medical experts, who he and McDaniel said deemed it safe for him to return to playing football. He was not told that he would be at greater long-term risk if he resumed his career.
Football fans, coaches and media personalities have shared their own opinions on what Tagovailoa should do next.
“I’ll be honest: I’d just tell him to quit,” Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said. “It’s not worth it. The game is not worth playing. I have not witnessed anything like what I have seen happen to him three times. It’s scary.”
McDaniel has cautioned against speculating about Tagovailoa’s health and future since the concussion occurred. Tagovailoa, while expressing gratitude for the concern, said he never considered withdrawing this time, despite having those conversations with family members two years ago.
“I think this is only becoming a big deal because of what ended up happening two years ago within the sport,” he said. “I hate that it happened, but we don’t see boxers the same way. “We don’t look at hockey players the same way.”
McDaniel said Tagovailoa has a better understanding of his responsibility to the Dolphins organization, which signed him to a four-year, $212 million contract extension in the offseason.
“Part of that is protecting yourself,” McDaniel said. “Part of it: I have to make sure he’s adequately protected, but at the same time, I can’t control everything. And he has to be able to protect himself.”
Tagovailoa added that he needs to “be smart” on the field to ensure he remains available for the team.
He added that there are risks in everything.
“Every time we all put on the uniform, we all run the risk of getting hurt, whether it’s a concussion, a broken bone, anything,” Tagovailoa said. “If you get out of bed the wrong way, you could potentially risk spraining your ankle. But there are just risks in everything and everything. And I’m willing to play the odds.”
