Should Tagovailoa retire? What players, coaches and medical experts say
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Head coach Mike McDaniel embraces Tua Tagovailoa after leaving the game with a concussion Thursday. Photo: Megan Briggs/Getty Images
Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is once again hearing calls to retire after suffering the third diagnosed concussion of his young career.
The big picture: Tagovailoa, who just signed a $212 million contract, has been the subject of somber reflection as commentators, coaches and former players weigh in on whether the 26-year-old should quit football.
- Tagovailoa suffered a scary head injury during a third-quarter scramble in Thursday's loss to Buffalo.
- In 2022, Tagovailoa considered retirement after suffering two concussions, including one that required hospitalization.
What they're saying: "I'd tell him to retire. It's not worth it," Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said Friday.
- "I haven't witnessed anything like I've seen that's happened to him three times," Pierce added. "Scary, you could see right away the players' faces on the field."
- Former NFL stars Tony Gonzalez and Dez Bryant have also said Tagovailoa should retire.
The latest: Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa's health is more important than speculation about his career.
- "I think it would be so wrong of me to even sniff that subject, and it's more in line with actually caring about the human being. "You're talking about his career.
- "I just wish that people would for a second hear what I'm saying, that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him. So, I'm going to plead with everybody that does genuinely care that that should be the last thing on your mind."
- McDaniel said he doesn't think Tagovailoa would play in Miami's next game against Seattle and said he has "zero idea" about his future availability.
What experts say: Chris Nowinski, a neuroscientist and CEO of the Concussion Legacy Foundation, tells Axios he would suggest Tagovailoa speak with his family about considering "starting his second career."
- The longer someone plays football, the greater their chance of developing Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, the degenerative brain disease better known as CTE, he said.
- And with each passing concussion, there is a correlation with increased risk of cognitive and mental health problems, and high blood pressure.
Dr. Patrick Murray, a family medicine and sports medicine physician at the University of South Florida, tells Axios repeated concussions can put players at a higher risk of brain injury from lower-impact hits and require longer recovery times.
- He said doctors don't have objective thresholds to recommend retirement due to concussions but they should inform players about medical concerns of their future risk for injury.
- "Ultimately, it is a patient-centered decision based on risks and benefits."
The bottom line: "It's impossible to predict Tua's future," Nowinski says. "But it's fair to say the more concussions he suffers, the greater the risk they will impact his life negatively in the future."