Tua Tagovailoa took a dramatic step forward in 2022 in terms of performance, but his season will be best remembered for the multiple concussions he suffered. The last one cost him the final two games of the regular season, as well as the Dolphins’ wild card loss. 
The 24-year-old quarterback recently spoke about his path to recovery following the concussion he suffered on Christmas Day, which represented at least the second (if not third) which he dealt with this season. He didn’t clear the league’s protocol until last week, inviting questions about his and the team’s handling of the repeated head trauma.
While in conversation with Mackenzie Salmon of USA Today, Tagovailoa said, “for concussion protocol, I think the team did me the biggest service throughout that. They never allowed me to go through protocol normally until the season was done. So that’s why it might have seemed like it took forever, but they were just protecting me from myself. And me and my family are very thankful to the Dolphins” (video link).
The fact that Miami kept the former No. 5 overall pick from navigating the standard return procedure until after their season was over is striking. The Dolphins’ handling of Tagovailoa earlier in the year led to an NFLPA investigation and the implementation of new concussion protocols midway through the year. It comes as no surprise that an abundance of caution was used this winter, even with that approach leaving Miami without their top signal-caller in the postseason.
The Alabama product is taking steps this offseason aimed at preventing a repeat of his 2022 injury woes. One of them will involve taking up judo, as detailed by Yahoo! Sports’ Jason Owens. Tagovailoa said the martial art will help “figure out understanding my body and how to fall,” something which could in turn prevent harder head contact after hits compared to this past season.
If successful, Tagovailoa could set himself up for a repeat of this year’s success (when healthy). Now eligible for an extension, the former Heisman finalist recently changed agents with the team’s fifth-year option decision due to be made soon. How much faith the Dolphins place in him from a financial and roster standpoint – in terms of acquiring a high-end backup QB as insurance – will be an interesting storyline as the offseason unfolds.
Tua should retire. There comes a time when a body should stop thinking short term and realize what these concussions bring when you hit 40, if you get that far.
Popularity, fame and money should not define your years. A decent life that you can remember is more important
Agree 100%. Seems like he is possibly prone than your average player, and in some cases (you see it in boxing) once you get that first really bad one, they seem to happen more frequently. I’m seriously worried that a gust of wind could knock this kid into next week at this point….
I keep thinkin Junior Seau
-Judo training will stop his concussion problems-LMFAO. Miami is in a tough spot. They clearly made the correct decision, ending his season early, after he refused to self report his latest concussion until after the game. They have a talented roster but clearly can’t count on his availability moving forward. At this point they are probably just hoping he just retires.