The NFLPA has reportedly cut ties with an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who evaluated Tua Tagovailoa during Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.
Sources close to the franchise and the league tell ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques that the consultant made “several mistakes” after Tagovailoa was taken out of the game and evaluated for a concussion. Tagovailoa was eventually cleared to return to the game on September 25, 2022 in Miami, Florida. He finished the contest with 186 yards and one touchdown as the Dolphins defeated the Bills by two points.
Despite Tagovailoa’s ability to clear concussion protocol, many observers questioned the decision to allow him to finish the game. As a result, the NFLPA launched an independent investigation into the matter. Before the investigation was completed, the Dolphins took the field in Cincinnati. In the second quarter, Josh Tupou sacked Tagovailoa and the quarterback remained on the ground for more than 10 minutes before being carted off the field. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and treated for multiple upper body injuries.
In the wake of Tagovailoa’s most recent injury, many have taken a closer look at the Dolphins and their administration of the league’s concussion protocol.
“We will pursue every legal option, including making referrals against the doctors to licensing agencies and the team that is obligated to keep our players safe,” NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith said, per NBC Sports.
“I posed to the league — twice — on Sunday a very simple question. How did the team physician and the UNC conclude that the gross motor instability exhibited by Tua was not neurological? Did they take Tua’s word for it that it was a back injury? Did they carefully study the know-it-when-you-see-it video that the wobbling and wooziness was not the result of a head injury? Did they do something else? Those questions have yet to be answered.”
