Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion after colliding with Damar Hamlin in the loss to the Bills. CNN

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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion during his team's 31-10 loss to the visiting Buffalo Bills on Thursday night, the Dolphins said – marking another head injury for a player who previously raised concerns about his history of them.

Tagovailoa left the game in the third quarter when he scrambled for a first down and hit Bills safety Damar Hamlin in the head. The 26-year-old stayed on the field at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and was accompanied by Dolphins trainers.

Tagovailoa eventually walked off the field under his own power and was replaced by backup quarterback Skylar Thompson. Tagovailoa “was ruled out with a concussion,” the Dolphins said on social media.

Tagovailoa has a history of suffering multiple, concussions during the 2022 season. In April 2023, he said he was considering stepping away from football “for a while” after injury problems.

After Thursday's game, Hamlin said he wished Tagovailoa a “speedy recovery.”

“I know he is a broker. He is a warrior. He'll be back soon for sure,” Hamlin told reporters.

Hamlin has had his own injury-related scares in recent years. The Bills safety collapsed after being shot in the head and chest by a tackle during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals in January of last year. Medical professionals perform CPR when he loses his pulse and requires resuscitation and defibrillation. He was on a ventilator for days and spent more than a week in a hospital in Cincinnati.

It was later determined that Hamlin's cardiac arrest was caused by commotio cordis, which can occur when severe chest trauma disrupts the heart's electrical charge and causes dangerous fibrillation (or abnormal heartbeats).

Tagovailoa suffered the injury midway through the third quarter as he attempted to run for a first down.

As the quarterback needed to get over the line and approach the defenders, Tagovailo dove head first to the ground, causing a head-on collision with Hamlin.

The technique used by Tagovailoa differs from the one typically used by quarterbacks where they slide feet first to protect themselves, penalizing defenders if they make contact with the sliding player.

CNN Sports' Coy Ware, a nine-year NFL veteran who played with the Bills and Atlanta Falcons, said his first thought was Tagovailoa “should have slipped, should have been smart.”

“He learned to do it after 2022. That's why there were no injuries reported last season,” Ware said.

“But my second thought was, sometimes, that competitive nature and desire to win, or gain a first down, etc. clouds all training and judgment. I think that one time he let his guard down and unfortunately, that one time could have cost him his career.”

Added Ware: “It was a huge Thursday night game with a division rival. Tua had already thrown three interceptions and he probably wanted to redeem himself. That adrenaline and desire to win can make people do things they probably shouldn't.”

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters after the game that the fifth-year pro was in “good spirits.”

“I talked to him in the locker room,” McDaniel said. “Of course, I talked to him on the field, and then I talked to him in the locker room before I went home. He was in good spirits. ”

McDaniel said his immediate thought when he saw Tagovailo go down was “concern.”

“I was just worried about my guy, so, yeah, it's not something you ever want to be a part of,” McDaniel said. “I hope you don't.”

The third-year head coach said it was too early to decide whether to place Tagovailo on the injured reserve list – a move that would mean he would miss at least four games.

“It's more about getting a proper systematic evaluation tomorrow,” McDaniel said. “And taking it one day at a time. The furthest thing from my mind is what the timeline is. … We just have to evaluate and just worry about my teammates, like the rest of the guys.”

When asked if it was still safe for Tagovailoa to play football given his history with injuries, McDaniel declined to answer.

“From a medical standpoint, I don't go into things that I'm inferior to in terms of skill,” McDaniel said. “I'm there to support my teammates, like I said. I think … for me going forward and in my non-area of ​​expertise I'm As for predicting things that don't know, I don't think it's appropriate.

“I think we'll find out some more information tomorrow in terms of where Tua is. … We will have conversations and make appropriate progress.”

McDaniel said Tagovailoa went around the locker room and “bonded” with his teammates to “keep guys' heads up.”

“Another example of his great character and leadership,” McDaniel added. “I think that when something happens to a person and you see their reaction – I mean, he's worried about his teammates. That tells you everything about the type of person he is and he knows what he means to this team.”

Tagovailoa struggled before leaving Thursday's game, throwing three interceptions.

This story has been updated with additional information.