Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did not play in the final three games of the season after suffering a concussion against the Packers on Christmas and he was not cleared from concussion protocol until early February.
On Friday, Tagovailoa discussed that period of time for the first time. He said that the long stretch between the head injury and the clearance was due in part to the way the Dolphins handled the situation.
Tagovailoa said he didn’t start the process of going through the protocol until the Dolphins’ season ended with a playoff loss to the Bills and that he was grateful that the Dolphins protected him from his own desire to play by taking things slowly after what was his second documented and possible third concussion of the season.
“For concussion protocol, I think the team did me the biggest service throughout that,” Tagovailoa said, via Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today. “They never allowed me to go through protocol normally until the season was done. So that’s why it might have seemed like it took forever, but they were just protecting me from myself. And me and my family are very thankful to the Dolphins. But it really entailed a lot of exertion, so like running, ocular and vestibular movements, so like balance, proprioception -- things like that. Having went to see a doctor in Pittsburgh, got clear from him and then had to do written test, memorization.”
The multiple concussions led to some questions about Tagovailoa’s playing future, but the Dolphins and Tagovailoa’s parents both said that the plan is for him to be back on the field 2023. Tagovailoa confirmed as much while talking to Matt Harmon of Yahoo Sports by saying that he has “all the information that I need to move forward” as a player.
