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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's concussion in Week 2 was the third of his NFL career. His injury history since the start of his college career at Alabama has been tough.

Since Tagovailoa first played for the Crimson Tide in 2017, the quarterback has suffered four concussions, a fractured pelvis, a dislocated hip, a broken nose and a back injury. Three of his concussions have occurred since entering the NFL in 2020, with the most recent occurring on “Thursday Night Football” in September.

The recent case of severe head trauma has led some to speculate that Tagovailoa could retire. The quarterback admitted before last season that he had been thinking about it after the 2022 season. Eventually he returned to the field. Recent reports indicate that Tagovailoa has no plans to retire following his recent concussion.

The Dolphins placed their quarterback on injured reserve after suffering a concussion in Week 2, meaning Tagovailoa will not play in Miami's “Monday Night Football” matchup with the Tennessee Titans.

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Tua Tagovailoa concussion and injury history

Tagovailoa played two injury-free seasons during his freshman and sophomore years at Alabama. He led the Crimson Tide to victory in the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2018 after replacing Jalen Hurts in the second half, and led the team back to the championship game in 2019 as a full-time starter.

In 2019, Tagovailoa suffered his first major injury: a severe ankle sprain against Tennessee in the Crimson Tide's seventh game of the season. He then underwent surgery but returned three weeks later.

A week after his return, the then 21-year-old suffered a series of injuries in the same game against Mississippi State. During a sack against the Bulldogs, Tagovailoa fractured his pelvis, dislocated his hip, broke his nose and suffered his first concussion. It was the last game he played at Alabama before declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft.

The injury bug struck again for Tagovailoa when he reached the NFL. Four weeks after taking over the Dolphins' starting job in his rookie season, the quarterback injured his thumb during practice and had to miss a game.

In 2021, the second-year quarterback broke several ribs in a Week 2 game against the Bills, causing him to miss the next three games.

The 2022 season was Tagovailoa's worst injury year to date.

In a Week 3 game against the Bills, the signal caller left the game after taking a hit and then stumbling to the ground while trying to return to the huddle. He eventually recovered from what the Dolphins called a back injury, although the NFLPA expressed concerns that Miami may have violated concussion protocols in the game.

A week later, Tagovailoa hit his head hard on a sack against the Bengals in the second quarter. He exhibited a “fencing reaction” after the hit – a reaction to a traumatic brain injury that manifested itself in unnaturally bent hands and curled fingers – and later told reporters that it caused him to become unconscious. The quarterback was hospitalized for head and neck injuries. Tagovailoa returned to the field after missing two games.

Warning: The video below contains graphic content and may be disturbing to some viewers.

On Christmas Day 2022, the Dolphins starter played his team's entire Week 16 game against the Packers. A day later, Miami announced that Tagovailoa would be placed in the NFL's concussion protocol after experiencing symptoms. He missed the last two games of the season.

Unlike the first three seasons of his career, Tagovailoa played every single game in 2023 without suffering any injuries – head or otherwise.

This season was a different story. Tagovailoa suffered the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career in Week 2 on “Thursday Night Football” against the Bills. The quarterback was fighting for a first down in the third quarter before running into Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin and hitting the back of his head against the Bills' ground. For the second time in two years, Tagovailoa appeared to have a fencing reaction after being hit.

The Dolphins have since placed the quarterback on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least four games.

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Tua Tagovailoa contract

In July of this year, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins agreed to a four-year, $212.4 million extension for the quarterback, including $167.1 million guaranteed.

The average annual value of the deal is $53.1 million, fifth highest in the NFL. That's $100,000 per year more than Jared Goff's contract extension with the Lions and slightly less than Joe Burrow, Jordan Love and Trevor Lawrence's $55 million annual contracts with their respective teams.

His guaranteed money is the ninth-highest value among current quarterback contracts.

Tua Tagovailoa stats

Tagovailoa career stats (55 games): 1,136 of 1,700 (66.8% completion rate), 13,122 passing yards, 83 passing touchdowns, 40 interceptions, 96.4 passer rating, 139 rush attempts, 409 rushing yards (2.9 yards per carry), six rushing touchdowns

Tagovailoa 2024 stats (two games): 40 of 62 (64.5% completion rate), 483 passing yards, two passing touchdowns, three interceptions, 78.9 pass rating (career low), three rush attempts, 28 rushing yards (9.3 yards per carry)

On By John Fenwick

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