Tua Tagovailoa had a tough year with the Miami Dolphins, fighting several concussions throughout a rollercoaster season. The biggest shock came against the Cincinnati Bengals when Tagovailoa was shoved to the ground and hit his head on the ground.
He was taken to the hospital after the incident and missed two games as a result. Then, following the Green Bay Packers Week 16 loss, he suffered another concussion. Many people wondered at the time if Tagovailoa should consider retirement due to his head injuries.
Thankfully, Tagovailoa’s parents confirmed that he will be returning next season for the Dolphins. “He’ll come back,” Galu Tagovailoa, the Alabama product’s father, told at the Polynesian Bowl.
“That’s their guy. 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.” Galu Tagovailoa said his son is still in concussion protocol, but he is “grateful” for the Dolphins’ support.
Tua Tagovailoa’s parents express gratitude for overwhelming support from #Hawaii and beyond throughout Tua’s adversities this past season, have no doubts that he will return as #Dolphins quarterback in 2023 #NFLHawaii @TuaFoundation @PolynesianFBHOF 🤙🏽 @AHoshidaSports pic.twitter.com/RaZaPhUOg9
— Rob DeMello (@RobDeMelloKHON) January 26, 2023
However, the Hawaiian’s parents have denied any retirement rumors, saying they appreciate the Dolphins organization taking care of their son, who did not play in the wildcard playoff defeat to the Bills. Tua has not played professional football in almost a month due to Miami prioritizing his recovery.
Tagovailoa’s first health problem occurred in mid-September when he slammed his head on the turf on numerous occasions in games against the Bills and the Bengals during a four-day span.
Following the first occurrence against the Bills, the NFL Players Association fired the unaffiliated neurotrauma expert who had performed the concussion exam, claiming “several mistakes” in the injury assessment.
Following Tagovailoa’s injury against the Bengals, the NFL changed concussion protocols in collaboration with the NFLPA. Among those changes was a loss of balance or stability, which prompted officials to remove that athlete from the field for evaluation.
