After Tua Tagovailoa’s head injury, the US football community is asking: Did the Miami Dolphins not protect their quarterback adequately?
Tagovailoa was in a duel with the Cincinnati Bengals thrown to the ground and hit his head hard on the field. His hands were obviously cramping, he was treated for minutes and taken off the field on a stretcher.
the dolphins announced a few minutes later that the 24-year-old could leave the game because of “Head and Neck Injuries” not continue. “Tua Tagovailoa has been taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. He is conscious and able to move all limbs.” US media reported immediately after the end of the game that Tagovailoa would be released from the hospital in the evening and would follow up with the team Miami to travel.
Impact to the head already against the Buffalo Bills
Teddy Bridgewater came on for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins lost 15:27. But the first defeat of the season was a minor matter because of the history of Tagovailoa.
Of the quarterback had four days earlier on Sunday in the game against the Buffalo Bills looked battered. After a nudge, he also stretched his head backwards when he served. When he got up again, he seemed very unsteady on his feet, buckled after the first few steps and was supported by teammates.
Has the Concussion Protocol been bypassed?
After an examination, however, he continued to play in the second half. After the game there was talk of a back injury, but not a head injury. This caused criticism in the environment NFLthe players union NFLPA launched an investigation.
Because in the case of head injuries, the league sees a strict “Concussion Protocol” before. With well-defined tests during the game and in the days after, the team doctors should check the players for concussion (concussions) investigate. Because it is considered very dangerous to continue playing with a serious head injury or to get back in too early. Tua himself said after the game that he “Concussion Protocol” passed.
Diagnosis of CTE in 315 former football players
The topic concerns them NFL for many years. With now 315 former footballprofessionals has been posthumously diagnosed with CTE. Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a serious brain disorder that can cause dementia and severe personality changes, among other things. CTE is triggered by repeated head injuries and multiple blows to the head. It can only be determined by an autopsy.
the NFL had long denied any connection between her sport and CTE. It wasn’t until 2016 that the tone changed and the league introduced measures to protect against head injuries, such as are hard tackles against the head now banned. How effective the measures are, however, is controversial.
Criticism of the Dolphins
Dealing with Tagovailoa’s injuries brings the issue back to the table. Former wrestler turned neuroscientist Christopher Nowinski tweeted towards the dolphins: “You should go to jail for letting him play again five days after an apparent concussion.” Nowinski is also the managing director of Concussion Legacy Foundationwhich works to protect athletes from concussions and CTE, among other things.