NFLPA releases statement after Tua Tagovailoa injury, hospitalization

Tua Tagovailoa left Thursday night’s game between the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals on a stretcher, and football fans held their collective breaths after a scary injury. Reactions poured in, including a statement from the NFL Players Association.

The NFLPA released a statement Thursday night wishing the best for Tagovailoa, who was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center — a Level 1 trauma center — after the big hit. The Dolphins confirmed he had full movement of his extremities and was conscious after the play.

But the league is also looking into how Miami handled Tagovailoa the last time he suffered a big hit. That was just four days ago against the Buffalo Bills, and the NFLPA said an investigation is ongoing after Thursday’s injury.

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“Player health and safety is at the core of the union’s mission,” the NFLPA wrote via Twitter. “Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential protocol violation is ongoing.”

Tua Tagovailoa conscious, responsive after being carted off, taken to hospital

Amid the scary injury suffered to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa‘s head and neck, Thursday Night Football sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung had the latest on the former Alabama star’s status following the halftime break.

“The Dolphins tell us that Tua Tagovailoa is conscious, he has movement and feeling in all of his extremities,” Hartung said. “Just speaking with Mike McDaniel, he said it was a scary moment, but Tua was conscious. He was talking to him. He said when he got out of his line of vision, Tua was asking for him because he was curious what happened on that play. His parents are now headed to meet him at the hospital, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.”

Tagovailoa landed hard on a sack by Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou in the second quarter, which led to him getting attended to by Miami training staff. 

Al Michaels said on the TNF broadcast that the finger contortions are a result of “neurological response to head trauma,” citing a medical expert. Tagovailoa completed 8-of-14 passes for 110 yards and threw one interception in the first quarter and a half of action. Teddy Bridgewater has since taken over for Tagovailoa after the former Alabama star was wheeled off the field.