Calls to retire Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa have grown as he continues to suffer another injury

It was a routine run for a first down, the kind of thing quarterbacks do every week in the National Football League.

But Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins leaned into the tackle head-first and hit the defender in the chest, sending his head sharply to the left. Later, he fell to the ground, balled in his right hand and raised in the air in what appeared to be a subtle sign of a brain injury.

Later in Thursday-night's game, the Miami Dolphins made it official: Tagovailoa was hurt, the latest for the 26-year-old whose career has already been defined by him. Worrying history of brain injury.

Now, Tagovailoa's injury has sparked a dramatic backlash from fans and former players alike who have called for his retirement — a reflection of growing awareness among the American public about the risks of long-term brain damage that head injuries can cause.

“If I were him, at this point, I'm seriously considering retiring from football. If he were my son, I'd be like, 'It might be time.' Those things aren't what you play with,” said Tony Gonzalez, Hall of Fame tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, speaking after the game as an analyst on the Amazon Prime broadcast.

Across social media, former players and fans shared the same sentiment. “He has to retire because of his longevity health concerns,” Written by Dez BryantRetired Dallas Cowboys wide receiver.

“Really hope Tua is okay, but she needs to seriously think about calling it off [down]” said Shannon Sharp, former Denver Broncos tight end. “His concussion is getting worse and he's a young man with his whole life ahead of him.”

Concussions and Repeated blows to the head A major risk factor for long-term brain injury, including chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, is a serious condition that can lead to early dementia and death.

“There's no magic number of concussions to retire from,” said Chris Nowinski, a former football player and professional wrestler who later pursued neuroscience and now heads the Concussion Legacy Foundation.

“It all depends on how he recovers from it, but too much trauma can lead to chronic symptoms and mental health disorders.” Nowinski continued“He's in a tough spot,” wrote X on social media site.

A small number of NFL players have quit the game due to concerns about their neurological health, including Carolina Panthers All-Pro linebacker Luke Kuechly and San Francisco 49ers linebacker Chris Borland, who retired after only one season in the NFL.

“With Tua, there's added pressure to be the star of the franchise, the player they're building around,” Borland told NPR in 2022. “It's important that players are better protected because, if left to their own devices, a hundred different incentives, we'll do anything to get back on the field.”

Tagovailoa walked off the field under his own power during Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills.

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In 2022, the NFL revised its concussion evaluation protocol when Tagovailoa was allowed to re-enter a game after he was cleared by a medical evaluation to have what appeared to be a head injury. In another game just four days later, he hit his head again, this time with an official diagnosis of concussion. Weeks later, he sustained another injury and missed the rest of the season.

Before the 2023 season, Tagovailoa dedicated his offseason to minimizing the risk of injury. He took jiu jitsu classes and trained on how to roll his body when falling without allowing his head to hit the turf.

The following season was the best of his career. He led the league in passing yards and led the Dolphins to an 11–6 record, their most since 2008.

If he decides to retire, the amount of compensation he will receive will depend on whether he is medically cleared to return to football.

If he is allowed to play but retires anyway, Tagovailo will be out $124 million. If he is medically forced to retire, he will collect the amount, According to SpotracA service that tracks professional sports contracts

After suffering the injury during Thursday's game, Tagovailoa walked off the field unaided and the Dolphins said he was able to talk to medical staff in the locker room.

On Friday, head coach Mike McDaniel declined to speculate on a timeline for Tagovailoa's return. “All I can do is try not to evaluate what it means from a football standpoint,” McDaniel said. “Trying to meet [timelines]Trying to assess what that means for the game — it's heavy stuff.”

As of Friday morning, Tagovailo had not publicly commented on his options.