Tua Tagovailoa’s head injuries have sparked a potential concussion protocol change in the NFL.
On Thursday, the Miami Dolphins quarterback was forced to leave the team’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals after taking a hard hit. Video footage showed Tagovailoa’s fingers lock up after he hit the ground. He was eventually taken to the hospital.
Four days prior to the Bengals game, Tagovailoa briefly exited the game against the Buffalo Bills after hitting his head. He was allowed back onto the field after passing concussion protocol. Thursday’s injury left many questioning the decision to allow Tagovailoa to continue playing during the Bills game.
According to The New York Times, the N.F.L. Players Association has dismissed the neurologist who evaluated Tagovailoa during Sunday’s Bills game. The doctor was an “unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant” that had been approved by the players’ union and the league.
The NFL has announced that it will also change its concussion protocol in light of Tagovailoa’s two injuries. According to The Washington Post, they plan to eliminate an exemption that allowed Tagovailoa to continue playing.
Current protocols say a player can not continue playing if he exhibits “gross motor instability” that is determined to be neurologically caused. The league has also been discussing the use of the term “gross motor instability.”
Tagovailo was released from the hospital and flew back to Miami with the team on Friday, where he underwent further tests. ESPN reports that the league will interview Tagovailo earlier this week as part of an investigation into why he was allowed to return to the field.
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