"I have teammates that aren't here anymore because they had brain damage" - Patriots Super Bowl winner slams NFL, Dolphins for failing to protect Tua Tagovailoa

During Thursday night's game that featured the Cincinnati Bengals and the Miami Dolphins, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa left the pitch after suffering an injury to his head/neck after he was slammed to the ground by Bengals' defensive lineman, Josh Tupou.

Former NFL Super Bowl champion Rob Ninkovich believes that the NFL failed to protect Tagovailoa by stating that things need to change in 2022 with how the league and the teams handle players' injuries.

Ninkovich said:

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"I'm sick that this issue even came up because we know now in 2022 that things had to change. Things had to change. I have teammates that aren't here anymore because they had brain damage. They had CTE. And, you know, I think back to when I was younger and I think everyone, even if you didn't play football, you could think back to when you're a younger person, you are like, man, why would I put myself in that position?"

"And, you know, the NFL, the Dolphins, the doctors, trainers, anyone that was included in this decision, they failed the player because it's up to them to make sure that the player is protected from the athlete."

Ninkovich added that players always have the mindset that they can play through injury because they don't want to let others down.

He added:

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"And then athletes' mindset, the player's mindset is, 'I'm okay. I can play through it. Don't take me off the field. I don't want to let this guy down. I don't want to let my teammates down. I don't want to let people down. I have a lot of people that are counting on me to be great, so I don't want to come off the field in a concussion.' You don't know what happened. You don't know that you have a concussion."

"That's why you see a boxer and MMA fighter. When they get knocked up, they stand up and the ref goes, you know, you are not... they don't realize it. So [for] a football player, it's the same thing. A football player could be running down the field. You get caught, you get up, you look around, you don't know what happened. That's why it's up to everyone else to use common sense. Common sense. This is a common sense thing."

All signs point to Tua Tagovailoa heading in the positive direction

Miami Dolphins v Cincinnati Bengals

Following the injury, Tagovailoa was sent to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. He was concsious and could move all his extremities

Mike Garafolo

@MikeGarafolo

MRI to check on his neck today and he will obviously continue to be monitored but all indications for Tua Tagovailoa are positive at the moment. twitter.com/josinaanderson…

JosinaAnderson

@JosinaAnderson

I’m told #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa “traveled back with team in a neck brace. All (initial) scans were negative, nothing broken. Will have MRI when he gets back,” per a league source. I’m sure Tagovailoa was comforted by having family at the game & at the hospital.

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I’m told #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa “traveled back with team in a neck brace. All (initial) scans were negative, nothing broken. Will have MRI when he gets back,” per a league source. I’m sure Tagovailoa was comforted by having family at the game & at the hospital.

MRI to check on his neck today and he will obviously continue to be monitored but all indications for Tua Tagovailoa are positive at the moment. twitter.com/josinaanderson…

Tagovailoa traveled back to Miami with the team last night in a neck brace, and all scans were negative. He will have an MRI when he gets back to the facility. It isn't known how long he will be out for, but the team will monitor him and take their time as he's been recently banged up.

The Dolphins will play the New York Jets next Sunday and if their quarterback isn't ready, Teddy Bridgewater will get the start.

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If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Rob Ninkovich, ESPN, and H/T Sportskeeda

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