Another Tua Tagovailoa concussion, another joint NFL-NFLPA review of the circumstances.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, the NFL Players Association has initiated a joint investigation of the latest Tagovailoa concussion. It happened at some point in Sunday’s game between the Packers and Dolphins; during a play late in the second quarter, Tua’s head struck the turf.
The union exercised its prerogative to conduct a joint review of the events surrounding the decision to clear Tagovailoa to return to a Week Three game between the Bills and Dolphins. That review resulted in changes to the concussion protocol aimed at ensuring players who show signs of ataxia will be prevented from returning to play. (It also resulted in the union exercising its prerogative to terminate the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultant assigned to the Dolphins that day.) Tua had been clearly unstable and wobbly after striking his head on the ground during that game.
This time around, the review undoubtedly will focus on the failure to connect Tua’s head striking to the turf to the potential need for a concussion evaluation, along with the question of whether he was demonstrating any behaviors that would suggest the possible existence of a concussion.
Yes, the league has already said that there were no signs or symptoms of a concussion during the game. The league also insisted then (and would still insist now) that Tua had only a back injury during the game against the Bills.
Others would strongly disagree with the latter; it makes sense, then, to at least remain a little skeptical about the former.