NFLPA Expected To Conduct An Investigation Into Concussion Protocol Of Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa
After an exciting, back and forth battle between the Miami Dolphins and the Buffalo Bills in week three, the NFL Players Associations has reportedly informed the NFL that they wish to conduct a review of the league’s concussion protocols after Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returned to action in the second half against the Bills.
Tagovailoa had entered concussion protocol late in the first half, after being pushed backwards by Bills linebacker Matt Milano and banging his head off the ground. The hit resulted in the quarterback stumbling over himself. Tagovailoa was ruled questionable to return with a head injury as a result and Milano was flagged with a personal foul of roughing the passer. The Dolphins quarterback ultimately led his team to a gutsy 21-19 win over their division rival to improve to 3-0 and claim 1st place in the AFC East.
The league’s policy dictates that a football player is required to be taken out of the game and evaluated on the sideline for any potential concussion symptoms. This evaluation is reportedly a six-step process that looks for any “no-go” signs. The process includes video review of the play which resulted in the injury, inquiry of the player in regards to the events which led up to the concussion, a neurological exam, and finally all Maddocks questions.
Should any positive or inconclusive result be produced at any step of this process, the player is required to be taken back to the locker room for a full comprehensive review. When speaking to media after the game, Tagovailoa had claimed that his stumble was a direct result of his back locking up after taking the hit from Milano. Tagovailoa also claimed that his back was sore when the hit occurred.
“But I mean, any competitor that would’ve never wanted to come out would’ve did the same thing,” he added. “So I was just trying my hardest to get back up and get the next play and run it.”
ESPN has more HERE.
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