NFL analyst lobbies league to "make this game safer" as Tua Tagovailoa gears up to return from concussion-related absence
Tua Tagovailoa appears to be deadset on playing in the NFL, regardless of the cost. While he has been the de facto face of injuries in the last three seasons, injuries have been part of the game since its beginning. The league has taken steps to cut down on practice time and create guardian caps, but it isn't enough. At least that is what NFL analyst Omar Kelly believes.
Speaking on Thursday's edition of "Pro Football Talk," Kelly expressed a belief that the game needs to continue to get safer.
"How many guys have been carted off this year?" Kelly said (04:17). "It's like the norm and it's not healthy and it's not good for the game. And they have to start to take precautions to try to make this game safer. A lot of people inside the league say it's because they're not practicing enough."
"I think that's BS. Just because you don't grind players into the dirt during the week, that doesn't necessarily mean you're suffering more ACL tears and Achilles pops, like look at Deshaun Watson. That is just tragic."
Tagovailoa has declared that it is his "personal choice" to go without a guardian cap, creating perhaps somewhat of a disconnect between viewers. Some want to see the injuries stop and don't care about how the game needs to change to make it happen. Others believe injuries are simply part of the game and should be accepted as such.
NFL injury count balloons as Tua Tagovailoa returns
Tua Tagovailoa is set to finally get back under center after nearly six weeks in recovery. It is an example of some players circling back after getting knocked out of the lineup in the league's early weeks.
However, the total list of NFL injuries ahead of Week 8 is staggering. According to a cumulative list on ESPN, the Minnesota Vikings have the healthiest team in terms of total injuries. Rookie J.J. McCarthy is out for the entire season, but only eight other players are battling some type of injury.
Some teams have more than 22 players listed as at least questionable for this week. Simply put, the list of players returning is a fraction of the size of players going onto the list.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for example, lost both Chris Godwin and Mike Evans against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football.
Seemingly the New Orleans Saints' entire starting lineup is missing due to injury as well. With the league still not even halfway through its regular season, some players are returning like Tua Tagovailoa, but even more are being added to the injury report.