The Scary On-Field Injury Of Miami Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa Has Twitter Absolutely Livid
The September 29 Thursday Night Football game has people talking, and not because of the debut of the new Cincinnati Bengals uniforms. Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a scary injury after Bengals defensive lineman Josh Tupou sacked him in the second quarter, per CNN. With arms seizing up and laying on the field for several minutes, it was said that the quarterback suffered "head and neck injuries." Tagovailoa was carted off of the field in a stretcher as both teams paid their respects to the young quarterback. The fans also showed their support by chanting "Tua" as he left the field.
"It was very clear to me from the onset he, had, I didn't really know the degree of — but I knew he had the concussion," Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told CBS Sports in a press interview. "He was asking for me and when he saw me I could just tell that it wasn't the same guy that I'm used to seeing."
In a series of statements released by the Dolphins Twitter account, it was said Tagovailoa was "taken to the hospital" for examination and, at the time, he was conscious and could move. It was reported at the end of the game that the quarterback would be discharged from the hospital and will fly home with the team. But the injury hasn't been forgotten as NFL fans have taken to Twitter to express their frustration.
Fans think Tua Tagovailoa 'deserved better'
Following Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's injury during the September 29 game against the Cincinnati Bengals, his name started trending on Twitter. According to the New York Post, the quarterback was previously injured in a game against the Buffalo Bills just four days before. After being tackled, the quarterback got up, stumbled, and fell to the ground. He exited the field for testing. It was later announced that Tagovailoa passed the NFL concussion protocol while also suffering a back injury.
This caused an uproar on social media, as fans believed that the suspected back injury was actually a concussion, and the Dolphins organization found a way to get the all-clear for their star quarterback to play four days later. One mentioned that the young quarterback is only 24 years old and shouldn't have to risk his life for the game. "Tua deserved better," another fan tweeted. "If Tua takes the field tonight, it's a massive step back for #concussion care in the NFL," former WWE wrestler-turned-neuroscientist Chris Nowinski tweeted, before the second injury even happened.
Sports experts are also chiming in. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith took to "First Take" and clamored that "Somebody need to be fired!" He further added, "Now I don't know who, but somebody got to go! At the very least, a suspension." And now, the NFL Players Association is investigating the way the Dolphins organization handled Tagovailoa's injuries.