Former NFL Players Calling For Tua Tagovailoa To Retire After Concussion From Damar Hamlin Hit

Getty Image / Carmen Mandato

Concussions nearly ended the career of Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa following the 2022 season when he suffered two awful concussions. He got through the 2023 season concussion-free, but that streak looks to have come to an end on Thursday Night Football against the Buffalo Bills.

And, in a terrible twist of fate, it was Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, whose heart famously stopped on the field in January of 2023 in a prime-time game, that made contact with Tua Tagovailoa on the play that caused the concussion.

Tagovailoa did a much better job last year of avoiding hits, sliding, and when hit in the pocket, rolling out of the hit in a semi-somersault fashion instead. But, the Alabama alum was reckless running the football on Thursday, and it cost him.

With the Dolphins trailing 31-10 late in the 3rd quarter, they faced a crucial 4th down play deep in Bills territory. Tua Tagovailoa took off for the first down, and got it, but decided to lower his shoulder in a tragic decision.  Take a look.

Make no mistake, that was not Damar Hamlin’s fault or a dirty hit at all. In fact, it’s totally on Tua Tagovailoa. He has no business lowering his head right there. He’s already past the first-down marker. Even if he isn’t, it’s a 31-10 game and he has a history of head injuries.

It is ironic that it was Hamlin who was involved. one of the scarier scenes we’ve seen in the NFL since his collapse and heart stoppage back in January of 2023. That was probably the scariest scene in modern NFL history,

If you look closely, you can see what look like involuntary movement from Tua Tagovailoa. That has caused former NFL players to ask the 26-year-old to hang it up after yet another concussion.

That decision will be up to Tua. But, for now, let’s just hope he’s okay and let the chips fall where they may from there.