Tua Tagovailoa thanks Miami Dolphins for ‘protecting me from myself’ during concussion protocol as he prepares to take up JUDO as a means of avoiding further head injuries
Tua Tagovailoa revealed his 36-day stint in the concussion protocol was a deliberate decision by the Miami Dolphins.
Tagovailoa, who will take up judo this offseason in an effort to help avoid further concussions, said the Dolphins made the call after he entered the protocol on Dec. 26 — one day after a hit to the head against him Green Bay.
“For the concussion protocol, I think the team did me the biggest service in all of this,” Tagovailoa told USA Today.
“I was never allowed to go through the protocol properly until the season was over. So it may have seemed like it took forever, but they were just protecting me from myself. And I and my family are very grateful to the Dolphins.’
Although being away from the field and under protocol was far from easy, with Tagovailoa getting in the ringer.
Tua Tagovailoa revealed that he is grateful to the Miami Dolphins and will soon take up judo
Tagovailoa suffered concussion symptoms after a hit to the head against the Packers in December
“But it really involved a lot of effort, like running, eye and vestibular movements, like balance, proprioception — things like that,” he added.
“Having seen a doctor in Pittsburgh, I cleared him and then had to take a written exam, memorization.”
Tagovailoa suffered a concussion earlier in the season in Cincinnati after being tackled to the turf by 6-foot-5, 340-pound Bengals defensive tackle Josh Topu. He was carried off the court on a stretcher and taken to hospital after getting into the fencing position.
It was just four days after another incident in the Week 3 home game against Buffalo, where Tagovailoa wobbled to his feet after hitting his head on the ground.
Miami chalked it up to a back problem, despite many doctors and former players believing it to be a concussion.
Now, Tagovailoa will turn to martial arts as a future protective mechanism.
“We have a plan drawn up,” he told them Up and Adams Show.
“I’ll do judo on Fridays just so I can figure out how, understand my body and learn how to fall. I’m just trying to help myself.’
Tagovailoa’s first concussion scare came in the second quarter against the Bills in September
Four days later, he left on a stretcher after suffering a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals
Miami ended its season without Tagovailoa, losing to AFC East rivals Buffalo in a 21-19 loss as third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson nearly pulled off the incredible upset.
Tagovailoa turns 25 on March 2 and entered the 2020 NFL Draft with questions about durability due to hip and ankle surgeries during his three seasons at Alabama.
In 2022, his first season with McDaniel, Tagovailoa posted career bests in nearly every category and was 8-5 as a starter.
He had 3,548 passers, averaged 13.7 yards per completion with 25 touches, eight interceptions and a 105.5 passer rating.
Miami nearly pulled off an incredible upset against Buffalo in the Wildcard round against Buffalo