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Thursday, Sep. 12, 2004, was a bad day for the Miami Dolphins and the NFL in general. Not only did they lose their game against the Buffalo Bills, who continued their recent dominance over the Dolphins, but one of their players suffered a deeply concerning injury.
The Bills convincingly won 31-10 at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, which was broadcast live on Thursday Night Football. But at the game’s conclusion, fans were more concerned about the condition of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa than they were about the result.
With around 4:35 left on the clock in the third quarter, Tagovailoa rushed through for his team’s first touchdown but was hit hard by the Bills’ defensive back Damar Hamlin and subsequently hit the back of his head against the turf.
After spending a short time on the floor, Tagovailoa headed to the locker room with a noticeable limp and was replaced at quarterback by Skylar Thompson. He would not reemerge onto the pitch. As per DAZN, the reason for his withdrawal was confirmed to be a concussion.
It was far from the first time Tagovailoa had suffered a concussion — something fans quickly pointed out on platforms like X. One user who posted the video of the most recent concussion occurring side by side with the previous incident suggested the NFL should be subject to a criminal investigation if he’s allowed to play again.
Tagovailoa was concussed for the first time in 2020, and in 2022, he was diagnosed with two concussions and took a third hit to his head, which ultimately led to the NFL altering its concussion protocol. Other injuries he’s suffered throughout his career include a hip dislocation and fracture of the posterior wall of his hip socket, a broken nose, and a variety of other less severe issues.
Chris Nowinski, a former professional wrestler who’s now an author and neuroscientist, took to X to say Tagovailoa’s right hand balling into a fist and his arm going straight in the air during the match against the Bills was a sign that he had lost consciousness. He described the incident as “so sad.”
Many other X users — ordinary football fans and prominent public figures alike — took to the platform to express their opinions. Posts ranged from thoughts and prayers to suggestions Tagovailoa should retire for the sake of his health:
As per ESPN, Tagovailoa will undergo thorough testing and evaluation before he, the Miami Dolphins, and the NFL decide how to proceed regarding his playing future. The NFL has a return-to-participation protocol comprising a five-step process that starts with rest and recovery and culminates in a team’s physician agreeing with an independent neurological consultant that a player is okay to take to the pitch with no increased risk.
The Dolphins’ next game is against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle, Washington, on Sunday, Sep. 22nd. It’ll be intriguing to see if Togovailoa is allowed to play (or if he wants to) and how fans and peers will react if he does.