Tua Tagovailoa's latest admission about injury reveals just how serious it is
More details surrounding Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's head injury emerged on Friday. The quarterback was taken off the field on a stretcher and to a local hospital for tests on a possible head and neck injury in their game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He was then discharged from the hospital and allowed to fly back to Miami with his team. At the time, it was determined that he didn't have any structural or bone damage.
On Friday, Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel shared details from the flight home. McDaniel said that Tagovailoa sat next to him on the flight back to Miami. He apparently did wear a neck brace on the plane. He said that the quarterback told him that he had a headache at the time. He said on Friday morning that he still had a headache and that he was sent for an MRI the afternoon.
Mike McDaniel: Tua expressed he had a headache when when we saw him on the plane. He's still sensing a headache today. MRI is ongoing now.
Tagovailoa is considered to be in the NFL's concussion protocol and will need to be evaluated every day. The results of the MRI could reveal more about his condition. There is currently no timetable for his return.
Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel says he is thinking about Tagovailoa as a person not a player
The relationship between a head coach and his players is integral for overall success. When Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel took to the podium on Friday afternoon, he showed a lot of emotion about the injury to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
He said that he would never have let Tagovailoa take the field Thursday night if he ever thought that he was still suffering concussion-like symptoms.
"I'm not even thinking about timetables about him as a player."
From NFL Now: Reacting to the comments of #Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel in the wake of Tua Tagovailoa's concussion... https://t.co/wc2mOcoYWq
He said that he weighs every medical decision of all of his players and decides whether it is best for the person and not the player. McDaniel said that he was told by the medical staff that his quarterback had suffered a back injury and that he believed them. He said that he was worried about his back and previous ankle injuries before the game but was ensured that he was cleared to play.
McDaniel's confidence in the medical staff could be under scrutiny as the NFLPA continues their investigation into whether there was wrongdoing in the evaluation of the Dolphins quarterback. Additionally, whether he was rushed back onto the field before he was fully medically ready to do so.