Dolphins coach Mike McDaniels has explained the decision to play Tua Tagovailoa following a head injury, and according to him, the independent doctor who specializes in “brain matter” cleared him.
TPS got more;
Tua was stretchered off the field and taken to a local hospital. And while we’re all praying for a full and speedy recovery for Tagovailoa, it’s hard not to wonder how the third-year quarterback was allowed to play after he appeared to suffer a concussion during last week’s game against the Bills.
Of course, the Dolphins and Tua claimed that he only suffered a back injury last week, and not a concussion. But Tua’s inability to stand up after the hit seemed to suggest otherwise. And five days later, following tonight’s incident, it seems as though everyone’s skepticism with the Dolphins’ “back tightness” claims were confirmed.
The first one who was made to answer for the irresponsible decision to allow Tua Tagovailoa to play tonight was Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels, who stood by the claim that Tua cleared concussion protocol last week. He also said he would never “fudge” with the concussion protocol.
It’s hard to blame McDaniels for any of this. As the head coach of an NFL team, he’s not getting paid to make the medical decisions. NFL coaches have enough other things to worry about. They tend to get their advice on players’ health from the doctors, and they just go off that.
If the doctors were telling McDaniels that Tua was good to go, then they need to be the ones answering the questions. And we wouldn’t be surprised if it costs some of them their jobs.
It isn’t like he can come out and say he was wrong to pay Tua because then that would be a lawsuit, but it was clear to almost everyone there was no reason for him to be on the field Thursday Night.
The Dolphins did not protect their player.
Flip to the next page to watch Mike McDaniels explain himself…