After Tua injury, can NFL make progress on concussions?

Dolphins QB faces calls to retire

Tua Tagovailoa #1 of the Miami Dolphins lays on the ground after colliding with Damar Hamlin #3 of the Buffalo Bills during the third quarter in the game at Hard Rock Stadium on September 12, 2024
Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins quarterback, recently suffered a third concussion
(Image credit: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)

One concussion is bad. Two are worse. Three? There might be a problem. That's the dilemma faced by Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins quarterback, who suffered a concussion — at least his third in the NFL — this month in a nationally televised game. Now his football future is in question.

The most recent concussion "has prompted a dramatic response by fans and former players" urging Tagovailoa to retire, said NPR. "It's not worth it," said Antonio Pierce, coach of the Las Vegas Raiders. "If that was my son, I'd be like, 'it might be time,'" said Tony Gonzalez, the Hall of Fame former tight end. That's because concussions and lower-level blows to the head are "key factors" in the development of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a condition known to cause "early dementia and death" among retired players.

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Joel Mathis, The Week US

Joel Mathis is a writer with 30 years of newspaper and online journalism experience. His work also regularly appears in National Geographic and The Kansas City Star. His awards include best online commentary at the Online News Association and (twice) at the City and Regional Magazine Association.