This time, Tua Tagovailoa walked off the field. But he did not come back
During a Thursday night game two years ago, the Miami Dolphins quarterback was loaded into an ambulance on a stretcher and taken to a hospital when he didn’t get up after a sack. A concussion caused Tagovailoa to miss the rest of a 27-15 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29, 2022, and Miami’s next two games.
It was the first of two concussions for Tagovailoa in the 2022 season. The second, coming in a 26-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers on Christmas, caused Tagovailoa to miss Miami’s remaining three games.
On Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills, Tagovailoa scrambled for a first down on a fourth-and-4 snap in the third quarter. But the former Alabama All-American didn’t slide down after picking up the needed yardage. Tagovailoa was tackled by Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin, and the quarterback did not get up after the play.
After being attended to on the field, Tagovailoa walked unaided to the sideline and, without sitting down, continued to the locker room.
Shortly after he got there, the Dolphins announced Tagovailoa would not return to the game because of a concussion.
The game had been a forgettable one for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins. Miami trailed Buffalo 31-10 when the quarterback went out.
Tagovailoa had completed 17-of-25 passes for 145 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions.
The touchdown came on a 5-yard throw to running back Devon Achane as the Dolphins tied the game at 7-7 with 3:21 left in the first quarter.
The first interception hit the receiver’s shoulder pad, the second came on an overthrow of a receiver who cut a route short and the third was on a throwaway under pressure that Bills cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram returned 31 yards for a touchdown.
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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
