Tua Tagovailoa’s NFL future depends on him

I prefer the option of Tua walking away upright than the reel continuation of the terrifying scenes I’ve witnessed over the last four years. I was. The back of his head hit the grass and tripped on a wobbly foot this season as the starter for the Miami Dolphins, and just four days later, his fingers were twisted and bent in grotesque ways, and his brain was broken. and the body reacted to another heinous blow.

He should get out of the game while he can. Many of us seem to agree on this issue, wishing the best for Tua and trusting him to know what is best for him.

Tua Tagovailoa is out with another concussion. Judged by the NFL and NFLPA

So, from my keyboard, I broadcast his latest head injury diagnosis, as well as his plans for the future. words “Tua” When “retirement‘ is trending on Twitter. Analyst in TV studio The Dolphins and Tagovailoa are franchise quarterbacks selected fifth overall in the 2020 Draft and are a definitive next step. This week, former NFL player Emmanuel Acho preached while staring into the FS1 cameras, even trying to speak directly to Tagovailoa.

“Tua, you’re the only one alive in my head.” Acho said. “Tua, we can’t be more concerned about your health than you. Your friends can’t. Your family can’t. The NFL doesn’t, but neither does your team. So now I urges Tua to prioritize your health, safety and well-being.”

The Tagovailoa health debate is a reminder of the nasty bargain between arena athletes and couch fans. We invest time, money and passion in our favorite games and the people who play them. Our opinions rule.

On Sundays, everyone is an expert and questions coaches when they do it on 4th down. Every other week we speak out on issues away from the field and even in other people’s lives.

We created a place to lecture on athlete behavior. How he tweets, how he vents, how he celebrates, how he protests. But even when the loud warning comes from a purer place, like wanting to protect a young man who recently welcomed a child into the world with his wife, the moralization is not so complicated. is not.

We believe that our opinions matter when it comes to Tua’s personal agency for his body and his career. we Somehow I know what’s best he. but why?We just cringed when the Buffalo Bills defenders knocked down Tagovailoa like a puppet without padding, and we don’t want to feel uncomfortable again while enjoying the entertainment? because you scrolled through the tweets Neuroscientist timeline Or have you read a few lines of an article on head injuries and feel informed enough to share our medical expertise?

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The tricky part is we are right. Tagovailoa’s future is more important than the Dolphins’ playoff hopes. And even without a medical degree, the general public is well aware of the mysteries and dangers of concussions and how multiple head injuries can lead to long-term problems. We may cringe if Tagovailoa, who won’t be playing against the New England Patriots in 2020, decides to rest this week, clears concussion protocol, and reports under the center again this season, but it’s still his Decisions must be respected.

Football remains a violent sport and is often played by volunteers. And he keeps coming back.

In his documentary Tua, he casually recalled the injury he suffered at Alabama’s star quarterback in November 2019. Bama had a 28-point lead, but Tagovailoa was still on the field when he was pressured out of the pocket and crushed by two tacklers in the third quarter against Mississippi State.

“I didn’t know what was going on. I think my body was in such shock that I couldn’t remember what was happening at the time,” said Tagovailoa.

Since then, he has emerged as one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL. We’ve seen him blossom this year, with mastermind coaches in his ears and athletic receivers in his gatherings. So much brutality that Tagovailoa got his NFL concussion pain and blank face. Every time he comes out and gets another hit, I wonder why he’s still playing.

I never want to see Tua Tagovailoa play football again. It would be great if he chose to live a happy and healthy life far from any more head injuries. But his autonomy over his career is more important than my opinion We may wish Tua to walk away on his own, but he should be given the power to walk his own path.