According to Ian Rapoport, Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire despite the fourth documented concussion of his career.
Adam Schefter says Tagovailoa is scheduled to meet with neurologists early this coming week as he begins the process of working back to the field.
Tagovailoa was injured late in Thursday night’s loss to the Bills when he scrambled and dove head-first, making forcible contact with both the defender and the ground.
He immediately went down and his arms appeared to go in the fencing posture, which is indicative of a brain injury. He was ruled out for the rest of the game.
Given Tagovailoa’s history of brain injuries, there have been plenty of people saying he should retire, including Raiders HC Antonio Pierce. But Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel has pushed back against the speculation and insisted Tagovailoa be allowed to make his own choice.
“You’re talking about his career — his career is his,” he said. “I just wish that people would for a second hear what I’m saying, that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him. So, I’m going to plead with everybody that does genuinely care that that should be the last thing on your mind.”
Per Jonathan Jones, Tagovailoa will have to clear the same five-step NFL concussion protocol that he and other players have to pass before returning to play.
Tagovailoa, 26, was selected with the No. 5 overall pick out of Alabama in 2020 by the Dolphins. He signed a four-year, $30,275,438 rookie contract with a $19,578,501 signing bonus. He earned a base salary of $1,010,000 in the final year of his deal.
The Dolphins picked up Tagovailoa’s fifth-year option worth $23,171,000 for the 2024 season.
From there, the team re-signed him to a four-year deal worth up to $212 million this offseason that included $167 million guaranteed.
In 2024, Tagovailoa has appeared in two games for the Dolphins and completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 483 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions.
We’ll have more on Tagovailoa as the news is available.
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