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‘He’s coming back’: Tua Tagovailoa’s parents confirm the Miami Dolphins quarterback will still play after three concussions this season put his career in jeopardy
The parents of Miami Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa have revealed that their son plans to return to the team next season despite suffering three concussions in 2022.
“He’ll be back,” Galu Tagovailoa, Tua’s mother, told KHON 2 at the Polynesian Bowl in Hawaii.
‘That’s your type. They love him, we love them and what they’re doing and how they’re helping him with his recovery and everything else trying to get him back.”
Tua Tagovailoa’s parents hope their son will be in the pocket for the Dolphins next year.
Tagovailoa’s last concussion came in a 26-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Christmas Day.
Tua suffered his last known concussion of the season in a Christmas Day loss to Green Bay. It is still unclear when exactly Tagovailoa was injured; it is speculated that he was injured in the second quarter, and replays show that the back of his head struck the grass with approximately 2:40 left in halftime.
He had thrown for 229 yards at the time with one touchdown. He then threw for 81 yards with three interceptions over the rest of the game.
And hitting the back of the head has become an all-too-familiar and terrifying scene this season for the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL draft.
Tagovailoa also suffered concussion scares against the Buffalo Bills and Cincinnati Bengals.
It happened on September 25 when he briefly put down a 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills. He missed the final three plays of the first half for Miami after hitting his head, getting up and staggering a few steps.
The Dolphins originally listed it as a head injury, but Tua was cleared to return to that game and later said a back injury was the biggest problem that day.
He was never formally diagnosed with a concussion after the game. Four days later, he was injured again during a Thursday Night Football game against the Cincinnati Bengals and was carried off the field on a stretcher.
The 24-year-old QB has sparked a debate about how the league handles its concussion protocols.
As he lay on the grass, Tua’s fingers displayed what is known as a “fencing response” which usually indicates a serious neurological problem. At the time, he was placed on concussion protocol, as some argued should have happened after the hit at the Buffalo game.
Tua’s situation at the time prompted significant and rapid changes to the NFL and NFL Players Association concussion protocols. The most notable addition was that a balance and/or stability abnormality would be a symptom that would prohibit a player from returning to a game.
But the Hawaiian’s parents have quieted any retirement rumors, appreciating the Dolphins’ organization looking out for their son, who sat out in the wild-card loss to the Bills. Tua hasn’t played professional soccer for over a month as Miami has prioritized his recovery.
“He’s still going through his protocol, but we’re also thankful for them,” Tua’s mother said.
‘Very grateful for Miami. The organization. Owner [Chris] Grier as General Manager and Head Coach Mike [McDaniel]. That guy is special.