Dale Earnhardt Jr., Luke Kuechly get candid about Tua Tagovailoa's concussion situation

In both NASCAR and the NFL, concussions are an unfortunate reality. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Luke Kuechly can both speak to that. So, they are two former athletes who have a bit of insight into the situation that Tua Tagovailoa is in at the moment.

Multiple times in the last two seasons, Tagovailoa has taken hard hits on the field. Hits that left him stiff on the field. At times, exhibiting some of the worst symptoms of a concussion injury.

Tua’s future is still technically up in the air. He suffered another concussion earlier this season against Buffalo. He expects to play again this year.

It’s a topic that requires nuance.

“I find myself hesitant to even comment on Tua’s situation because it’s not my situation,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. explained on his Dale Jr. Download podcast.

Luke Kuechley, former NFL linebacker for the Carolina Panthers, also stepped away from competition due to concerns over concussions, much like Dale Jr.

“The hardest part is knowing like, he can’t play right now, and all he wants to do is play football,” the former LB explained. “You take all this stuff away, there are certain guys in this league and I’m sure in racing that, ‘Hey if we’re not going to pay you, some of you guys will still do it.’ That to me is the most unfortunate part that I feel for him. Like I’m sure you just wanted to race, I just wanted to play linebacker, he just wants to go play quarterback.”

A tough situation all around.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes Tua is taken care of

Right now, Tua Tagovailoa is waiting. He has confirmed that he will keep playing, but that timeline is still unclear. Concussions are very serious. There is a reason why Kurt Busch isn’t racing in the Cup Series right now.

While difficult, Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels confident Tua is being cared for.

“People like myself you know that are fans that are watching from the sideline often maybe forget just how protected the players are,” Dale Jr. continued. “Nobody in his world and the Miami Dolphins and the NFL, want to see him risk injury unnecessarily.”

Luke Kuechly agreed. He has been through a similar situation. Multiple concussions in subsequent seasons. So, if anyone has an idea of what this process is like, it’s him.

“He’s got great people down there, they’re going to take care of him, they’re going to do everything they can to make sure that he is 100% ready to go and they’re going to make the best decision not for the Miami Dolphins or the NFL but for Tua.”