NFL says protocols were properly applied in Tua Tagovailoa concussion, announces modifications

The NFL confirmed Saturday that the Miami Dolphins followed league concussion protocols before deeming quarterback Tua Tagovailoa healthy to play in Week 4. However, it also announced that the protocols previously in place were said to be “insufficient” and have since been modified.

In Week 3, Tagovailoa was tackled and hit both his head and back hard on the ground. He then grabbed his helmet, shook his head and took several steps forward before falling.

Tagovailoa later returned to the game and told doctors that his back injury was what caused him to fall, according to the league announcement. The statement also says that Tagovailoa “did not report or exhibit any signs or symptoms of concussion during his locker room exam, during the remainder of the game, or throughout the following week.”

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After running tests, doctors determined that Tagovailoa’s “Gross Motor Instability” was not neurologically caused, and came to the conclusion that his back injury was at fault. However, they never conducted a second examination of his back during the concussion examination, instead relying on earlier results.

That led Tagovailoa to be cleared to play for a Thursday night matchup in Week 4, just four days after he suffered the initial injury. Unfortunately, he would go on to suffer another big hit and had to be stretchered off the field and taken to the hospital.

While the NFL and NFLPA agreed that the outcome “was not intended” and proper protocols were followed, they also determined those protocols were not enough to protect the player. That led them to make one key addition to the rule.

The term “ataxia” has been added to the mandatory “no-go” symptoms for concussions. According to the league statement, “Ataxia is defined as abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue.” Any player diagnosed with ataxia from this point on will not be permitted to return to the game.

NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills weighed in on the decision in a Zoom call, saying this modification will hopefully prevent situations such as Tagovailoa’s from happening going forward. He also added that the overall goal of every medical staff member is player safety first and foremost.

“Everyone involved sees a patient and not a player,” he said. “No one involved cares about the position of a player or the score of a game. The concussion protocol is not broken. It can always improve, that’s the nature of medicine.”

Tua Tagovailoa has already been ruled out with the concussion for Week 5, when the Dolphins are set to kick off against the Jets at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.