Maybe nobody on the sphere throughout final night time’s Thursday Night Football sport might empathize extra with Tua Tagovailoa than Damar Hamlin, the person whose hit led to the Miami Dolphins quarterback struggling the most recent scary concussion of his profession.
“My love and prayers with @Tua fasho..,” Hamlin, 26, posted on X (formerly Twitter) following the sport the Dolphins sport in opposition to the Buffalo Payments on Sept. 12. “Sending you energy and therapeutic for a speedy restoration. a lot love broski.”
The scary incident passed off with simply over 4 seconds left within the third quarter, when Tagovailoa, 26, lowered his head and bumped into the Payments security, who met him in the course of the sphere to deal with him. After the collision, the quarterback was then helped off the sphere.
He was reportedly in “good spirits” following the sport, although his teammates and coaches have been visibly shaken following the 26-year-old participant’s third recognized concussion in two years, in accordance with ESPN.
Payments quarterback Josh Allen echoed the predominant sentiment across the stadium after Tagovailoa left Thursday night time’s sport with one other damage, calling the regarding incident “very unhappy” to see.
“That is the worst a part of the sport,” Allen, 28, advised reporters, per ESPN. “Nothing however love and prayers sending to him and his household, and hopefully everybody’s sending these, as a result of he’ll want them. It is the worst a part of the sport.”
Per NBC Sports activities, Allen additionally mentioned throughout a postgame interview on Prime Video that he “can’t assist however really feel for him.” The participant added, “He’s an important soccer participant however he’s an excellent higher human being. He’s among the best people on the planet. I’ve received a whole lot of love for him, and I’m simply praying for him and his household and hoping the whole lot is OK.”
Allen was on the sidelines when Hamlin, his teammate since 2021, went into cardiac arrest following an identical open-field hit throughout a January 2023 sport in opposition to the Cincinnati Bengals. Hamlin was stretchered off the sphere and rushed to the hospital, whereas the remainder of the sport was suspended as teammates, followers and coaches feared for the NFL security’s life.
Hamlin ultimately recovered and returned to the NFL the next season.
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Tagovailoa missed 5 video games as a result of two diagnosed concussions he endured all through the 2022 season.
Most infamously, the Dolphins star’s knees buckled and he struggled to face after taking a success to the top in opposition to the Payments in a Sept. 2022 sport. He was not recognized with a concussion following the hit, however turned the middle of debate over concussion protocols within the NFL when 4 days later he was left unconscious after the hit throughout the Bengals sport. He was formally recognized with a concussion following that hit.
The quarterback sat out two video games following that hit, after which suffered one other recognized concussion throughout a Dec. twenty fifth sport in opposition to the Inexperienced Bay Packers that season.
Final yr, Tagovailoa told reporters he “thought-about” retirement following the string of concussions he suffered in 2022.
“I thought-about it for a time, having sat down with my household, having sat down with my spouse and having these sorts of conversations,” he mentioned. “However, actually, it might be exhausting for me to stroll away from this sport. With how outdated I’m; with my son — I all the time dreamed of taking part in so long as I might, to the place my son knew precisely what he was watching his dad do.”
Tagovailoa added. “It is my well being. It is my physique. I really feel like that is what’s finest for me and my household. I like the sport of soccer. If I did not, I might have stop a very long time in the past.”
In line with the Associated Press, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel mentioned there’s no instant phrase whether or not Tagovailoa may return the present 2024-2025 season. Within the interim, Sklyar Thompson is being thought-about as Tagovailoa’s alternative and beginning quarterback.