The Miami Dolphins won’t be playing again until September 22. However, this break has sparked discussions regarding the future of their injured quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa.

The Pro Bowl quarterback experienced what appears to be at least his third concussion during his five-year NFL career in Thursday’s 31-10 defeat against the Buffalo Bills, showing the same concerning “fencing” response that was evident when he was knocked out during a notable game two years ago in Cincinnati.

Tagovailoa was quickly ruled out after exiting the game against the Bills, with a concussion diagnosis that came unusually fast compared to the common protocols for other players who endure head injuries during games. Due to the situation surrounding his latest injury, it led to immediate calls for the 26-year-old, who has a family, to seriously contemplate retirement.

“It’s heartbreaking; the guy just got a big contract,” remarked Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez on Prime Video’s postgame show right after the game.

“Being Tua is amazing, and it is great to be him, but looking at these concussions, if I were in his shoes, I’d be seriously thinking about stepping away from football. If he were my son, I would say, ‘It might be time.’ This is not something to take lightly.”

“As for Tua’s future? I’m leaning towards retirement.”

After a standout season where he threw for a record 4,624 yards and 29 touchdowns in 2023, Tagovailoa, a first-round draft pick from Alabama in 2020, signed a lucrative four-year deal in July worth up to $212.4 million, with $167 million guaranteed. Yet, on that evening, the focus shifted away from money, stats, and victories.

“I’m not thinking about timelines,” said Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel when asked if Tagovailoa might go on injured reserve, which would sideline him for a minimum of four games, with a return not possible until at least October 27. (Miami has a bye in Week 6.)

“Our priority is evaluating and focusing on my teammate, just like the rest of the team. We’ll gather more information tomorrow and take it one day at a time.”

McDaniel reiterated his commitment to Tagovailoa’s well-being when asked for his thoughts on the quarterback’s playing future.

“It would be inappropriate for me to even consider that topic; my main concern is his health,” he said. “This is about his career, which belongs to him.”

“Focusing on his future is not beneficial for him,” McDaniel added, emphasizing his concern for his quarterback’s current state.

“I don’t see it as appropriate, given my care and respect for him.”

When asked what he communicated to Tagovailoa as he left the field, McDaniel, who refers to the quarterback as “family,” responded after a moment of thought: “I told him he is the top quarterback in his family, and to head to the locker room, relax, and I’ll see him soon.”

There is little doubt that Tagovailoa’s situation is more serious than that of players dealing with chronic knee or shoulder problems.

“We can perform surgeries for various injuries, but when it comes to head trauma and getting knocked out in a game, there’s not much that can be done,” said Prime Video analyst and former NFL tackle Andrew Whitworth.

“You can’t visit a doctor and say, ‘Please fix my brain and the damage done to it.’

Concerns had already surfaced in 2022 when Tagovailoa was concussed twice and was controversially cleared from the league’s concussion protocol in another game. This led to modifications in the NFL’s protocols requiring that players showing potential concussion signs, such as balance disturbances, must not return to play that day.

Last year, to protect himself better, Tagovailoa gained weight and learned jiu-jitsu, which theoretically offered a safer method to handle hard impacts and reduce the blows to his head when falling. However, he noticeably lost weight this year and seemed to simply fall during a tackle that appeared quite routine, with Bills safety Damar Hamlin making shoulder contact with Tagovailoa’s helmet before it hit the ground.

Initially, reports seemed reassuring.

“He was very communicative with the trainers and doctors in the locker room,” McDaniel mentioned.

However, due to the unpredictable nature of concussions, it’s possible that more severe symptoms could emerge in the following hours and days.

“There’s a possibility that a previous concussion can make the brain more susceptible to further damage, particularly with multiple concussions,” said Julie Stamm, a clinical assistant professor in the Kinesiology Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, in an interview in 2023.

There’s a heightened chance of suffering a concussion due to the player’s past incidents. However, the exact increase in risk is uncertain and might not be as significant as feared.

Dolphins backup quarterback Skylar Thompson, like many of his teammates, felt shaken after witnessing his colleague go down once more.

“It truly makes my stomach churn,” Thompson expressed emotionally afterward.

“I have a lot of affection for Tua; we’ve formed a strong bond. You genuinely start to care more about the individual than the athlete – that sentiment is shared by everyone in the organization.”

Josh Allen, the quarterback for the Bills, also voiced his worries, as did many current and former players across social media.

“It’s hard not to feel for him. He’s an exceptional player, but an even better person,” Allen remarked about his rival in the AFC East. “He’s one of the kindest individuals out there. I’m sending him my thoughts and prayers for him and his family, hoping for the best.”

“It’s a challenging sport, with its ups and downs – this is undoubtedly one of the downs.”

The inherent risks of the game will likely continue to fuel discussions, which some fans previously had regarding whether it’s worth it for Tagovailoa to continue playing given prior head injuries.

“I hope he is able to make the choices he wants,” said former All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman, who is also a current analyst for Prime Video, suggesting that retirement could be a wise decision for the young quarterback.

“If I were in his shoes, I think it’s best to consider stepping away.”

Contributors: Tom Schad

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