Dr. Bennet Omalu Urged Tua Tagovailoa To Retire, Claims The Quarterback Suffered Permanent Brain Damage From Recent Concussion
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As the Miami Dolphins prepare to take on the New York Jets this Sunday for week five, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was quickly ruled out. Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol, which means the Dolphins will have to turn to backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to face a Jets team that’s coming in hot off a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Quarterback Mitchell Trubisky was benched at halftime for rookie Kenny Pickett, after Trubisky struggled against the Jets defensive line. The Dolphins aren’t taking any chances with Tagovailoa, who is now being urged to retire from the game of football.
Dr. Bennet Omalu urged Tagovailoa to retire from the National Football League when speaking to TMZ, claiming that the quarterback has suffered permanent brain damage as a result of the recent head injuries he sustained last Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals. Tagovailoa was cleared to play the Bengals after suffering another injury just days prior against the Buffalo Bills. NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills told reporters that Tagovailoa passed evaluations for a possible concussion every day between Sunday & Thursday.
“Tua, my brother. I love you. I love you as much as I love my son. Stop playing. Stop. Hang your helmet and gallantly walk away,” Omalu said. “My advice to him is, look, it’s time. You’ve suffered severe, long-term permanent brain damage. He seized. … If you love your life. If you love your family, you love your kids, if you have kids, it’s time to gallantly walk away. Go find something else to do.”
“He should stop,” Omalu continued. “Sometimes money is not more valuable than human life. $20 billion is not worth more than your brain.”
Omalu is the one who first identified chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in not only military veterans, but also former football players. Omalu is also the author of the book Brain Damage in Contact Sports, which was first published in 2018.
During Thursday night’s game vs the Bengals, the young quarterback suffered a head and neck injury as a result of a sack he took from Bengals’ Josh Tupou. Tagovailoa was motionless on the ground for approximately twelve minutes, before ultimately being taken away on a stretcher to a local medical facility at the University of Cincinnati. Tagovailoa was soon discharged and allowed to fly back to Miami with Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel and his teammates.
Sports Illustrated has more HERE.
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