CNN
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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken off the field on a stretcher during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday after suffering apparent head and neck injuries — less than a week after suffering an injury in another game .
Tagovailoa is conscious, has movement in all extremities and has been taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, the team said in an update. It added that he is expected to be released from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and return to Miami with the team Thursday night.
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel confirmed after the team’s 27-15 loss that Tagovailoa had suffered a concussion — a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head.
In the second quarter, Tagovailoa was released by Bengal defender Josh Tupou and lay motionless on the field for minutes.
The entire Dolphins touchline entered the field as Tagovailoa was placed on the back wall and stretcher.
Bengals fans present at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati showed their respect as Tagovailoa was carted off the field.
“It was a scary moment,” McDaniel said after the game. “He was evaluated for a concussion and is on the concussion log… It was an emotional moment. That’s not part of the deal that someone signs up for, even though you know it’s possible in football.
“All his teammates, myself, we were all very concerned,” he added.
In a statement Thursday night, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) said player health and safety is at the “core” of its mission.
“Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery,” it said. “Our investigation into the possible breach of protocol is ongoing.”
The incident came just days after Tagovailoa suffered another apparent head injury in a game against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday.
He had left the game in the second quarter after a hit by linebacker Matt Milano caused his helmet to touch the turf. On the way back to the line of scrimmage, Tagovailoa tripped and almost lost his balance.
He was then checked for a concussion and erased and came back on the field in the third quarter.
After that, the NFLPA announced The National Football League (NFL) is set to launch a review of how Tagovailoa’s apparent head injury is being managed.
The Dolphins later said Tagovailoa suffered a back injury, not a head injury.
Tagovailoa was ruled doubtful ahead of tonight’s game with a back injury.
On Thursday, McDaniel defended the team’s decision to play Tagovailoa despite the previous injury, saying an independent doctor specializing in “brain matter” cleared him to play.
“For me, as long as I’m training here, I’m not going to mess up the whole situation — if there’s any tendency for someone to have a concussion, they go into the concussion log,” he said.
“We’re not messing with that. I never have and as long as I’m the head coach it will never be an issue for you to worry about.”
When asked if the team could have done anything differently after Tagovailoa’s injury on Sunday, McDaniel replied with a resounding “absolutely not”.
In his New Day speech, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief correspondent, called Thursday’s in-game incident “really scary” and “very concerning” — particularly the gesture Tagovailoa made with his hands as he lay on the ground.
“Obviously if you look at the video from last night it looks like a pretty serious injury. Tua has been down for a long time,” Gupta said.
“That movement that he’s making with his hands… that’s a significant sign, something people really need to pay attention to.
“It can be a sign that some of the pathways between the brain and spinal cord are fundamentally disrupted, even temporarily… If that sounds serious, it’s serious.”
Gupta also said that Tagovailoa appeared to have “gross motor instability” when he stumbled across the field in Sunday’s game against the Bills and should not have returned to play under the NFL’s concussion protocol.
In an interview with CNN on Friday, former NFL defenseman Jack Crawford said his first concern upon seeing the incident was Tagovailoa’s safety.
“I was like right away, I hope he’s okay, I hope it’s not too serious,” Crawford, who played for a number of NFL teams, told CNN Sports’ Amanda Davies.
“It’s essentially part of the game. The League does everything it can to look out for these things and prevent them, to be honest. I think the game has come a long way in helping people or avoiding people getting into those kinds of situations.”
As he played, Crawford said he saw players wanting to stay on the field after suffering injuries.
“I’ve seen people where the bell has rung and they’ve come to the sidelines and you can kind of see they’re a little bit shaken up but don’t want to draw the attention of the doctors because they want to stay in the game. ”