Leroy Orozco
In all sports around the world, no matter how much or how hard you prepare for them, there will always be a risk of injury. Some of the more extreme sports like football and boxing present a more threatening sense of injury.
In week three of the 2022 NFL season, quarterback of the Miami Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa, displayed one of if not the most severe injury for a player, a concussion. Following a hit from a Buffalo Bills defender, Tagovailoa stood up and stumbled around aimlessly, being aided by some of his teammates.
Tagovailoa exited the remainder of the game, and following the conclusion of the game, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel stated that the medical team would monitor Tagovailoa’s status heading into their Thursday Night Football matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals.
In week four of the 2022 NFL season, just four days following his head injury versus Buffalo, Tagovailoa was cleared by the medical team to start and play in the primetime game.
However, viewers around the country witnessed a frightening scene displayed by Tagovailoa. After being thrown to the ground by a Bengals defender, it was clear Tagovailoa made harsh contact with his head against the ground, just like he did against Buffalo..
Tagovailoa remained on the ground for an extended period of time, and to make it more gruesome, his fingers were unnaturally bending from the shock of the impact. Eventually the medical staff removed him from the field on a stretcher and he was transported to a nearby hospital at the University of Cincinnati.
As a result, millions of fans voiced their concerns and threw backlash at the National Football League Players Association for allowing the young quarterback to even step on the field. Even some players themselves spoke out on social media, sending their prayers to Tagovailoa and stating their concerns about the severity of head injuries.
In football, multiple head injuries over time can drastically affect a player’s life, even after being removed from the sport. A prime example of this case is former Steelers star receiver, Antonio Brown.
Brown sustained multiple head injuries over the course of his career and now he is showing signs of CTE (Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy). CTE is a critical condition that involves the functions of the brain.
If the NFL does not do something about the medical side of football, then every single player on a roster is at risk of suffering from the same head trauma that Brown has and that Tagovailoa unfortunately may.
