Nick Saban: Doctors and Tua Tagovailoa's family should decide his future playing football

Former Alabama head coach Nick Saban commented on Tua Tagovailoa's concussion and said he would contact the Miami Dolphins quaterback to see how he is doing.

Tagovailoa, who played for Saban from 2017 to 2019, helping lead the Crimson Tide to a national championship, was injured during Thursday night's game against the Buffalo Bills. Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in the third quarter and did not return to the 31-10 loss .

"First of all, I will talk to him today. I haven't been able to get a hold of him yet," Saban told the Pat McAfee Show . "I have a house down there in Florida, so we get together on occasion when I am there. Played golf in the offseason. Tua is such a great competitor, but I think this has to be a medical decision. You have to let medical people who understand the circumstances these injuries, these concussions and when you have multiple concussions, that's not a good sign."

But Saban said medical professionals and his family should make the decision about Tagovailoa's future in the NFL.

"I think Tua and his family and everyone else should listen to all the medical evidence to make sure that you're not compromising your future health-wise by continuing to play football. But I think that's a medical decision. I don't think that's something for me to speculate on. I know a lot of people are doing it , and more power to them. But the family should not be influenced by that. Tua should not be influenced by that. That should all be influenced by medical professionals."

Saban said that Tagovailoa is a great competitor and doesn't give up on a play.

"Even when he hurt his hip at Alabama, it was nowhere to go for the ball. [Henry] Ruggs was the receiver. He fell down," Saban said. "There's no even body to throw it to, and he's still trying to make a play and takes a hit that he doesn't need to take. I hated that he got hurt and I wished I would have taken him out of the game. Hindsight is always 20/20.

"It's the same thing as the play last night. He could have slid. He had a first down. But he's a competitive, tough-minded guy that's trying to set the tone for his team and ends up getting injured because of it."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nick Saban: Doctors and Tua Tagovailoa's family should decide his future playing football