"Real test of how much the NFL cares about player safety" - NFL analyst urges Dolphins to take proper action over Tua Tagovailoa
Tua Tagovailoa began the season as one of the NFL's most productive quarterbacks. Tyreek Hill was making plays, and the team was better than it was last season when it started 1-7. However, after a strong start, the team was derailed by injury. In one of the most traumatic scenes of the season, the Dolphins quarterback was knocked out of Thursday Night Football in Week 4.
The quarterback is back in concussion protocol three months later, prompting many analysts and pundits to react. PFF analyst Sam Monson took to Twitter to criticize the league's medical knowledge, prompting the team to bench the quarterback for the rest of the season. Here's how he put it in a series of Tweets:
The Tua situation is a real test for how much the NFL cares about player safety this year.
There is a difference between 'asymptomatic' and 'fully healed' that even doctors don't have a full grasp of.
"The Tua situation is a real test for how much the NFL cares about player safety this year. There is a difference between 'asymptomatic' and 'fully healed' that even doctors don't have a full grasp of."
In other sports, Tua would likely have been shut down for an extended time after the back-to-back concussions, but the short NFL season places such importance on each and every game, it's hard for a team to sit a guy that has been 'cleared' medically.
But this was the risk.
"In other sports, Tua would likely have been shut down for an extended time after the back-to-back concussions, but the short NFL season places such importance on each and every game, it's hard for a team to sit a guy that has been 'cleared' medically. But this was the risk. Miami needs to be willing to sacrifice their season to protect their player."
Miami needs to be willing to sacrifice their season to protect their player.
Tagovailoa is questionable for the game this weekend. Teddy Bridgewater is taking first-team reps this week in practice, however, according to ESPN.
Tua Tagovailoa's Dolphins need a winning streak
In 2021, the Dolphins started 1-0. Since then, however, the team has almost only put together winning and losing streaks. After starting 1-0 last year, they lost seven games in a row to fall to 1-7. They hit the gas when things seemed bleakest, rocketing up to 8-7 and ultimately finishing the year at 9-8 but it wasn't enough to save Brian Flores' job.
With Tagovailoa's availability up in the air, will Teddy Bridgewater save the team if needed?
With Mike McDaniel now leading the Dolphins, the team started 3-0 this year and then slipped to 3-3. They put together another winning streak and reached an 8-3 record. After a straight month of losing, they currently sit at 8-7 and their playoff spot is in jeopardy.
With Tagovailoa's availability uncertain, the team is hoping for another streak to wrap up the year even if they roll with Teddy Bridgewater.