CNN
—
Miami Quarterback Tua Tagoailoa The NFL’s concussion protocol remains, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said at Monday’s news conference.
The announcement comes a day after Tagovailoa played the entire game in the Dolphins’ loss to the Green Bay Packers. It’s the second time this season that the 24-year-old quarterback has entered the concussion protocol.
It comes months after he suffered head injuries and drew the attention of the league and players union. Agreed to renew protocol – The NFL’s policies for evaluating and caring for players who sustain a concussion.
McDaniel said Monday afternoon that he only found out “a couple of hours ago” that Tagovailoa showed concussion symptoms and was placed in the league’s protocol by the medical staff. He couldn’t even for a moment hint that Tagovailoa might be injured in Sunday’s game.
It’s unclear if Tagovailoa will be able to play against the New England Patriots this week, the coach said.
“I care so deeply about every player,” McDaniel said. “I take it seriously, so I want him to be healthy and have peace of mind in that regard. That’s the number one thing, and then whatever the circumstances are, you deal with it later. It’s about the man and making sure he’s square.
Tagovailoa suffered a concussion after being sacked in a September 29 game against the Cincinnati Bengals. Tagovailoa lay motionless on the field for several minutes. He He missed the team’s next two games.
The concussion occurred several days after Tagovailoa suffered a head injury and was later cleared to continue playing in a September 25 game against the Buffalo Bills.
A concussion is a brain injury that occurs after a blow to the head causes the organ to move back and forth inside the skull. But even after the brain stops shaking, organ changes can occur.
In October, Tagoailoa said he did not remember being ejected from the field during the Sept. 29 game.
“Getting into the cab — I don’t remember that,” he said. “But I remember things that happened when I was in the ambulance and when I got to the hospital.”
He called the process of going through the protocol compelling.
“But it’s all done for the safety of the players, and I’m glad I went through those things to understand the concussion contracts, and you know the effects, long-term, short-term, things like that. . . I thought it was great that I was able to go through that process and get clarity,” he said. Tagovailoa said at the time.
The Dolphins occupy the seventh and final playoff spot in the AFC, one game ahead of the Patriots. There are two weeks left in the Dolphins’ regular season.
