After third concussion: NFL coach advises Tagovailoa to retire

For the third time in three years, Tua Tagovailoa has suffered a concussion. The head coach of an NFL competitor advises the Miami Dolphins quarterback to retire: “It’s not worth it.”

Once again Tagovailoa was lying on the ground, badly hit, his fingers cramped, and once again his teammates called for help. It was desperately needed. For the third time in three years, the Miami Dolphins quarterback suffered a concussion on the field. Experts and former players are now recommending that the 26-year-old quit football.

“I hate to say it. But his concussions are getting worse and he is a young man who has his whole life ahead of him,” wrote former NFL professional and current TV presenter Shannon Sharpe on X. “He needs to seriously think about ending it.”

Raiders head coach: “I would advise him to quit”

Antonio Pierce, head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, sees it the same way: “I’ll be honest, I would advise him to stop. It’s not worth it.” The images of the incident were “frightening.”

It happened in the “Thursday Night Game” against the Buffalo Bills (10:31). Tagovailoa, who had been disappointing up until then, thought he was in the end zone with the ball on fourth down at the end of the third quarter, but he hit Damar Hamlin’s upper arm head-first and then lay helpless on the grass. After several minutes of treatment, Tagovailoa was able to walk to the locker room on his own two feet – at least. That was different in the past.

The Hawaiian was (officially) hit twice in the 2022/23 season, hitting the back of his head on the ground in both games against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Green Bay Packers.

But even before the first effective hit, Tagovailoa had clearly had coordination problems in the duel with the Bills. He may already be struggling with his fourth head injury.

Criticism of double standards

Would you rather quit too? Tagovailoa asked herself this question last year. “I considered it for a while. I sat down with my family,” said the NFL star in April 2023. But he loves football, “If that weren’t the case, I would have been part of it a long time ago.”

Former NFL star JJ Watt, meanwhile, criticized a “Double standards. Everyone wants to see modern gladiators, but no one will take the guilt that comes with it.”.