NFL chief medical officer on concussion protocol for Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, what’s next
Tua Tagovailoa did not exhibit symptoms of a concussion during the Dolphins’ game against the Green Bay Packers last Sunday, one day before entering concussion protocol, the NFL’s chief medical officer said.
In an interview aired on NFL Network Tuesday night, Dr. Allen Sills said there was “nothing that would have triggered the protocol” and led to Tagovailoa’s removal from the game, such as a blow to the head and subsequent injury symptoms.
According to the league’s protocol, a player is to be removed from a game after a hit to the head if he exhibits or reports signs of concussions, or if a team’s athletic trainer or doctor, Booth ATC (independent certified athletic trainer) Spotter, coach, teammate, game official or sideline or Booth UNC (unaffiliated Neurotrama Consultant) spot a sign of a concussion.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa, who played the entirety of the 26-20 loss, was placed in concussion protocol after reporting symptoms Monday. McDaniel said he was uncertain when Tagovailoa may have sustained a hit that led to him experiencing symptoms. Sills said some patients with concussions will present symptoms on a delayed basis, which can come hours or multiple days after sustaining head trauma.
McDaniel said Tagovailoa has not been officially diagnosed with a concussion. But if the third-year player is, it would be Tagovailoa’s second documented concussion this season. According to Sills, a small number of players will suffer more than one concussion in a season.
Regardless of a player’s concussion history, Sills said each player suspected of a concussion faces the same five-step process to return to the field. He also said the league reviews all incidents that result in a player being placed in the protocol.
Tagovailoa sustained a concussion and was carted off the field on a stretcher in Cincinnati on Oct. 29, four days after hitting his head and remaining in a game against the Buffalo Bills. The incident sparked a joint investigation between the NFL and the NFL Players Association into the handling of Tagovailoa’s injury.
The two sides announced that the league’s step-by-step protocol was followed but the protocol was altered, adding a new “no-go” symptom, ataxia, which would have kept Tagovailoa out of the Bills game and likely sidelined him for the Bengals game. Ataxia is an abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue.
Asked whether Tagovailoa should be allowed to play again this season, Sills said doctors will explain a player’s situation after all data is collected and allow him to have a voice in the decision-making. Before making his return from a two-game absence in Week 7, Tagovailoa got second opinions from several doctors.
“We have to make sure the athlete is fully recovered and then make sure their voice and their autonomy is respected in their decision-making process,” Sills said.
McDaniel on Monday did not rule out Tagovailoa for Sunday’s road game against the New England Patriots. Teddy Bridgewater will take first-team reps in practice while Tagvoailoa is in the protocol and start if he is unable to play.
This story was originally published December 27, 2022 at 7:43 PM.
