Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa Has a History of Dealing With Concussions

In spite of its immense popularity, many people are aware of the tremendous danger that comes with playing football. Chief among those dangers is the risk of head injury that comes from repeated collisions, and few players are more familiar with those risks than Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.

During a game against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 12, Tua exited with a head injury. That injury led many people to wonder how many concussions Tua has had over the course of his career. Here's what we know about his history.

Tua has had three concussions over the course of his career, with the third occurring during the Sept. 12 game against the Bills. His first diagnosed concussion happened in 2022 after he had already been drafted by the Dolphins. The diagnosis came during a Week 4 game against the Bengals and was the subject of controversy because Tua had already sustained an injury four days prior during a game against the Bills.

That initial injury was first described as a head injury, and then changed to a back injury, and Tua was allowed to re-enter the game against the Bills. Then, he took a hit the following week that confirmed the concussion and led the NFL to change its rules around concussion protocol and fire the neurologist who had cleared Tua to return to the game against the Bills.

Tua then suffered a second concussion during Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers, taking him out for the remainder of the season. Tua returned to the game against the Packers in Week 16 and threw three interceptions, and it was only after the game that it was determined he had suffered a concussion.

He was never concussed during his time at Alabama, and it's unclear whether he had ever suffered a head injury before then.

Following this latest head injury, and given the fact that he just signed a massive contract with the Dolphins that guarantees him at least $90 million, many think that Tua should seriously consider retiring from professional football. One concussion can be traumatic enough for the brain, but repeated concussions are even worse and also increase the risk of subsequent reinjury.

Although that conversation is going to be brewing in the world of sports punditry, the Dolphins have also suggested that their primary focus is on Tua's recovery, and they are not worried about the timeline for when he'll return.

"Right now, [it] is more about getting a proper procedural evaluation and taking it one day at a time," Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the Dolphins' 31-10 loss to the Bills.

"The furthest thing from my mind is what is the timeline," he added. "We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate. ... We'll get more information [Friday] and then take it day by day from there."

Tua's future both this season and in the league more generally is hugely uncertain.