One positive aspect stemming from Tua Tagovailoa’s recent injuries is that Buffalo Bills fans have stepped forward to offer donations to Tagovailoa’s foundation.
The Buffalo News reported the news, though it didn’t offer a total amount on the heartwarming gesture. The foundation has received over 1,000 donations since Tagovailoa’s scary injury against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night.
“We’re just grateful for all the support,” the foundation’s executive director Burt Trembly told the Buffalo News.
Tagovailoa’s foundation is “dedicated to the support of youth initiatives, health and wellness, and other charitable causes.”
Alright Mafia. You know what to do.#BillsMafia #FinsUp https://t.co/i41sS9FwBV
— BillsMafiaBabes (@BillsMafiaBabes) September 30, 2022
#BillsMafia let’s all donate to the Tua Foundation to show support #prayfortua #1301 pic.twitter.com/3G2N5l7drd
— Josh Schreiber (@Jschreiber272) September 30, 2022
I rarely participate in these. Tua foundation $17.01. It was time. https://t.co/JwFhaZcYGc pic.twitter.com/yvHmsZlcoy
— 🇪🇸 TJDMCR ➜ 🦬 716 OG (@TJDMCR) October 1, 2022
In the space of five days, Tagovailoa sustained injuries that have been scary to watch and obviously struck a nerve with fans of a divisional rival.
During last Sunday’s home matchup against the Bills, Tagovailoa was hit and slammed his head against the turf. After getting up, he soon staggered to the ground, which led to him briefly being removed from the game.
You hate to see this for Tua. He has shut up the haters with his play and was battling toe to toe with the vaunted Buffalo Bills and MVP favorite Josh Allen. Praying for his health and for a full recovery from this. pic.twitter.com/1OV8Sq8ocj
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) September 25, 2022
On Thursday night, a much scarier situation took place during the Dolphins’ road clash against the Bengals. In that instance, he hit his head on the turf and was removed from the field by stretcher.
Tua Tagovailoa SCARY Head Injury vs Bengals (Carted Off)#prayersfortua pic.twitter.com/D4pgJbEdhV
— Challe (@challe_jack) September 30, 2022
Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital and later released. However, the short span of time between the two hits sparked controversy that has questioned both the Dolphins’ and NFL’s commitments to the health of players.
The furor was strong enough that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel offered an emotional response that indicated that Tagovailoa’s health was of the utmost importance to him when deciding whether or not to let him play against the Bengals.
On Friday, a statement from Tagovailoa thanking people for their concern was released.
Appreciate all the support! 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/jWBYyvbbwg
— Tua. T 🇦🇸 (@Tua) September 30, 2022
Unexpected donations from Bills fans are certainly a welcome diversion to the messy debate surrounding the situation, though it’s not the first time that such a gesture has taken place.
Previously, Bills fans donated to the Blessings in a Backpack charity after Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson was injured during a January 2021 playoff game against the Bills.
Similar generosity like that helped benefit the John R. Oishei Children’s Hospital in January after the Bills’ crushing playoff overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In that situation, many Chiefs fans offered donations of $13 to represent the 13 seconds it took the Chiefs to send the game into overtime.
Many of the amounts of the Bills’ fans donations to Tagovailoa’s foundation also had a football connection. Some donated $21.19 to represent the final score of the Dolphins’ win over the Bills while others donated $17.01, representing the numbers of Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Tagovailoa.
Regardless of the reasons for such donations, they represent an uplifting take on some disturbing moments.
