Since 2017, when Tagovailoa first played in a game for the Crimson Tide , the quarterback has suffered four concussions, a fractured pelvis, dislocated hip, broken nose and injured back. Of his concussions, three have happened since he entered the NFL in 2020, with the most recent one happening on "Thursday Night Football" in September.
The most recent instance of serious head trauma has led some to speculate that Tagovailoa may retire. The quarterback admitted ahead of last season that he had been considering it after the 2022 season. Ultimately, he returned to the field. Recent reports have indicated that Tagovailoa has no plans to retire after his latest concussion.
Tagovailoa played two injury-free seasons in his true freshman and sophomore years at Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide to a College Football Playoff National Championship win in 2018 after replacing Jalen Hurts in the second half, then led the team back to the championship game in 2019 as the full-time starter.
In 2019, Tagovailoa suffered his first big injury: a high ankle sprain against Tennessee in the Crimson Tide's seventh game of the season. He underwent surgery as a result but returned three weeks later.
One week after his return, the then-21-year-old suffered a slew of injuries on the same play against Mississippi State. While taking a sack against the Bulldogs, Tagovailoa fractured his pelvis, dislocated his hip, broke his nose and suffered his first concussion. It was the last game he played at Alabama before declaring for the 2020 NFL draft.
Nov 16, 2019; Starkville, MS, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (13) assisted by team personnel after an injury during the second quarter of the game against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Davis Wade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports Matt Bush, Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports
The injury bug came for Tagovailoa again once he reached the NFL. Four weeks after he took over the Dolphins' starting job in his rookie season, the quarterback jammed his thumb during practice and had to miss a game.
In 2021, the then-second-year quarterback fractured several ribs in a Week 2 game against the Bills, causing him to miss the next three games.
The 2022 season was Tagovailoa's worst year for injuries yet.
In a Week 3 game against the Bills, the signal-caller left the game after taking a hit then stumbling to the ground while trying to walk back to the huddle. He eventually returned from what the Dolphins called a back injury, though the NFLPA raised concerns that Miami might have violated concussion protocols in the game.
One week later, Tagovailoa hit his head hard when taking a sack against the Bengals in the second quarter. He demonstrated a "fencing response" after the hit – a response to traumatic brain injury symptomized by unnaturally flexed hands and curled fingers – and later told reporters it left him unconscious. The quarterback went to the hospital for the head and neck injuries he suffered. Tagovailoa returned to the field after missing two games.
Warning: the video below features graphic content and may be disturbing for some viewers.
On Christmas Day 2022, the Dolphins' starter played the entirety of his team's Week 16 game against the Packers. One day later, Miami announced that Tagovailoa was entering the NFL's concussion protocol after experiencing symptoms. He missed the final two games of the season.
In contrast to the first three seasons of his career, Tagovailoa played in every single game in 2023 without experiencing any injuries – to his head or otherwise.
This season was a different story. Tagovailoa sustained the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career on "Thursday Night Football" against the Bills in Week 2. The quarterback scrambled for a first down in the third quarter before running into Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the ground. For the second time in two years, Tagovailoa appeared to demonstrate a fencing response after a hit.
The Dolphins have since placed the quarterback on injured reserve, so he'll miss a minimum of four games.
In July of this year, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins agreed to terms on a four-year, $212.4 million extension for the quarterback, including $167.1 million guaranteed.
The deal's $53.1 million average annual value is the fifth-highest in the NFL. It's $100,000 per year more than Jared Goff's extension with the Lions and just below Joe Burrow, Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence's $55 million per year deals with their respective teams.
Its guaranteed money is the ninth-highest value among current quarterback contracts.
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