Miami Dolphins Quarterback Considered Retirement

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered at least two concussions during the 2022 season, and they evidently caused him to ponder his future. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, the fifth overall pick of the 2020 NFL Draft admitted he considered retirement following his Christmas day head injury against the Green Bay Packers.

After at least two concussions in 2022, Tua Tagovailoa considered retirement before deciding to continue his NFL career. https://t.co/KyyKoS9hQQ
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) April 19, 2023

“Yeah, I think I considered it, you know, for a time, having sat down with my family, having sat down with my wife and having those kind of conversations,” Tagovailoa said. “Really, it would be hard for me to walk away from this game with how old I am, with my son. I always dreamed of growing — playing as long as I could to where my son knew exactly what he was watching his dad do. Yeah, I mean it’s my health, it’s my body. I feel like this is what’s best for me and my family.”

Tagovailoa missed four games last year due to a series of frightening concussions. The first occurred on Thursday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 5. Tagovailoa was slammed to the ground on a hard but clean sack by Bengals defensive lineman Josh Tupou. Tagovailoa was delicately braced on a backboard before being stretchered off the field. The severity and frightening nature of the incident led to the league revising concussion protocol.

Tagovailoa missed two games following his first concussion. He returned and played well until Christmas Day against the Green Bay Packers. Following an ugly effort that included three interceptions, Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion. The fact that officials failed to catch his injury during the game drew extensive scrutiny. He missed the remainder of the Dolphins' season.

Tagovailoa's now extensive history of head injuries will follow him for the rest of his career. His concussion against the Bengals was one of the most nightmarish images of the season, and the handling of his concussion against the Packers put a deflating end to what had to that point been an excellent season. Despite his troubles, Tagovailoa led the league in passer rating last year; a healthier season with similar production would place him among the league's very best quarterbacks. Hopefully, he'll have a chance to deliver on all that promise.