It’s hard walking away from what’s been your life’s work. Being without one of the few constants that life has provided is certainly a daunting endeavor. However, what happens when one of the things you love most in this world doesn’t love you back? What if it’s actively robbing you of living life to its fullest extent, taking away from everything else that matters? What if the only choice is either deciding to walk away on your own power, or not having the choice at all?
Such is the crossroads where Tua Tagovailoa stands now.
On Thursday night, the Miami Dolphins quarterback was trying to galvanize his team to a comeback against the Buffalo Bills. Midway through the third quarter, Tagovailoa attempted to scramble and drive his team down the field. Instead of sliding, he tried to truck through Bills safety Damar Hamlin to fight for more yards. Instead, Tagovailoa’s head collided with Hamlin’s body and he fell to the turf.
What happened next was a scene that was disturbingly familiar: Tagovailoa laid out on the field, unable to stand, his arms locked in a fencing response. It was the second time fans had seen him in this position, after his head hit hard against the ground after taking a sack against the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022. That one was considered his second concussion in the span of a week when he went into the NFL’s concussion protocol during their previous game (ironically, against Buffalo).
For those of you doing the math, this recent scare is Tagovailoa’s third concussion, at least, in as many seasons. With players, analysts, and fans alike already wondering if he would retire after the multiple concussions in 2022, those same conversations have not only returned: they’ve been kicked into overdrive.
Tagovailoa even admitted during that off-season that he contemplated retirement after the 2022 season after conversations with his family. He would ultimately return to football, taking jiujitsu and judo training to soften his landings and stay away from another concussion. It would pay off for Tagovailoa, as he remained healthy and played a full season for the first time in his NFL career in 2023. He would also be rewarded this past off-season with a massive extension, signing a four-year, $212.1 million deal in July.
Therein lies the tricky part of the equation. In his new contract, Tagovailoa received just over $167 million in guarantees, with $124 million left to be paid during the deal. If Tagovailoa opts to retire despite being medically cleared to return to the field, he will forego that money. If he is medically forced to retire, however, he will be entitled to those guarantees. Going back to the point from the start of this article, Tagovailoa may not have the choice available to him.
Even in the event he is medically cleared to return to play later this season, is there really a guarantee Tagovailoa will come back? Sure, it’s hard to walk away with nine figures on the table and a whole career still ahead, but there are some things you can’t simply clip a price tag on. By returning to the game, Tagovailoa will be putting his body at massive risk, and another big hit could result in irreparable, life-altering consequences for the star quarterback.
A study from just last year noted that, out of a group of contact sport athletes who passed away before the age of 30, 40% of them had their brains diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. Even though CTE can only be diagnosed postmortem, the signs of it are visible during life. CTE can cause confusion, balance issues, memory loss and, in severe cases, dementia and depression. With Tagovailoa’s alarming history of concussions, the possibility of CTE or similar disorders brought on by repeated concussions, as well as their impact on his overall quality of life, has to be considered.
If not out of concern for his own well-being, that of Tagovailoa’s family has to be considered. He is a husband and a father of two young children, and he must weigh the risks of continuing his career with his family life. In this respect, I think of the recent tragedy involving Johnny and Matthew Gaudreau. While the circumstances between the two are somewhat different, it paints a chilling picture all the same. Johnny left behind two young children and, as his wife revealed during the brothers’ funeral, a third will never get to know life with their father. Matthew also had an unborn child on the way. Those families now must endure an existence no one should wish on their worst enemy: incomplete, hollow, every milestone a painful reminder of who should be celebrating with them. Tua Tagovailoa and his family don’t deserve that happening to them; no one does.
The choice, ultimately, is Tagovailoa’s and his alone. If he does play, he will be welcomed back by his teammates and fans, hoping for his continued success at the highest level of competition. That said, there will always exist the fear that the next hit could be the last one, bringing Tagovailoa’s plans for the future to a sudden, screeching halt. There would be no shame in choosing to walk away now; Tagovailoa has shown success at the University of Alabama and for the Dolphins, and the money he has already made will ensure his family is set for life. If he does choose that path, though, I only hope that he’s the one who makes that decision, and life doesn’t make it for him.
The Sports Nerd Speaks 