Medical Staff Mishaps for Miami Create Controversy for the NFL

Public outcry began when Tua Tagovailoa would re-enter the game at the beginning of the second half after what the overwhelming majority believed was a concussion suffered by Tua. Taylor Tilley with gridironheroics.com calls the decision the beginning of terrible decision making my the franchise. Miami would hold on and win the game, however it appeared to be a loss in the eyes of the pubic as many believed Tua should have been sidelined for at LEAST the remainder of the game. Not only were fans outraged, many NFL pundits had something to say about the decisions made by Miami coaches.

Disaster Strikes in Cincinnati Versus the Bengals

Despite the difference of opinions from the Miami coaching and medical staff to the NFL fan population, Tua was slated to start against the Bengals. Cincinnati did not have many opportunities to get to Tagovailoa until the second quarter, where disaster struck. Jeff Kerr with CBS Sports writes,

“Late in the second quarter, Tagovailoa was sacked by Bengals defensive lineman Josh Tupuo, and in the process of being brought to the ground, his back and head banged against the field surface. Tagovailoa was immediately in obvious pain, and his fingers went into a Fencing position, which is an involuntary response to head trauma.”

The third year QB was carted off of the field after an extended period of time laying on the ground as trainers tended to him. The on field medical staff would stretcher him and put him in a neck brace before carting Tua off, which led to a social media onslaught that led to the demand that Mike McDaniel be fired, as well as Miami’s medical staff. It was later revealed that there was an independent neurotrama consultant, at which time more questions came about.

Is the NFL Protecting Their Players to the Best of Their Ability?

Following the results of the two injuries suffered by Tua Tagovailoa, one against the Buffalo Bills on a Sunday bout and the other coming against the Cincinnati Bengals in primtetime, it is apparent that the protocol surrounding concussions has not been ironed out by the NFL. As helmets and rules against defenseless receivers have improved and the Guardian Caps have become a staple in the offseason to protect head to head contact, it has become incredibly apparent that there are holes in the procedures that are intended to keep the players safe.

Recent reports have confirmed that the independent neurotrauma doctor that evaluated Tua after the injury he sustained against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday has been fired for “several mistakes”, says ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques. Louis- Jacques would later state that the NFLPA is also going to review the concussion protocol to better understand where the issues lie. The investigation, along with the review of the protocol, will hopefully shed light on the concerns surrounding concussions and bring about new rules regarding head injuries, whether they only appear to be serious or not. In the meantime, many wait patiently for the speedy recovery of Tagovailoa as his career appears to be ongoing despite an unclear timetable for his return.