Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has suffered numerous concussions during his career that have raised concerns about his health beyond football.
The 26-year-old’s most recent concussion came during the 2024 season. It brought back some haunting memories of his 2022 season, when he suffered at least two concussions and had countless folks worried for his safety.
His most recent concussion resulted in more calls for him to retire from some corners of the sports world. However, according to Tagovailoa’s father, the quarterback loves football so much that he’s willing to “die on the field” for it.
“The game is something that he loves,” Tagovailoa’s father said. “One of the things that I talked to him when he was going through his concussion was: Hey, what do you think? And he’s like, ‘Dad, I love this game, and I’ll die on the field for this game.’ So that answers everything for me. But at the same time as a father, you’re like, ‘Man, you got to take care of your health. That’s the most important thing. You have a family.’ I have two beautiful grandkids, and that’s something that I got to talk to him about. Something to think about. …
“His wife is such a beautiful lady, and she’s all about his health. And she tells him, ‘I want to live long with you. We got to make sure we do the right thing.’ But you know, Tua grew up in a way that everything is just so competitive. He just don’t want to leave the game. I mean, the kid loves it. But I believe the Lord has a plan for him and wherever the Lord takes him, that’s a decision he’s going to have to make with his family.”
In September, Tagovailoa admitted that he did consider retirement “for a time” after the 2022 season.
"Yeah, I think I considered it for a time," Tua Tagovailoa said of retirement after the 2022 season
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) September 13, 2024
However, it seems like he’s committed to the game of football and willing to risk his health to play.
The hope is that Tagovailoa will never suffer another concussion. This season, he was held out for four games after becoming concussed against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2. He didn’t suffer another concussion the rest of the way, although he did miss the final two games of Miami’s season due to a separate injury.
The quarterback has proven to be one of the top passers in the league when he’s been on the field. In the 2022 season, he led the NFL in passer rating. In the 2023 season, he led the league in total passing yards. This season, he led the league in completion percentage.
Unfortunately, his availability woes (often due to concussions) have limited the Dolphins’ success in recent years, including this season when they missed the playoffs after being without him for a total of six games.
Tagovailoa’s health is the most important concern. With any luck, his career moving forward will be filled with seasons like the 2023 campaign, when he didn’t miss a game in the regular season or playoffs.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, will look to return to the playoffs in the 2025 season after finishing with a losing record in the 2024 campaign for the first time in years.
