Player Safety

     Lately, a big topic has been player safety in the NFL. Concerns about injuries have been around for a while, but with new studies and technology, the concerns have only grown. Every Sunday we see a variety of new injuries to players. This has been a concern and a talking point on what can be done to help prevent these injuries. 

    One of the most recent big injuries involves quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tua is the quarterback for the Miami Dolphins and has recently sustained his 3rd concussion in the past two seasons. The first two had caused major controversy. What happened was he had hit his head in what looked like a concussion but was diagnosed with a "back" injury and was cleared to play just four days later on a Thursday night football game. That night he would sustain a very bad concussion which would make it two in the span of a week. This was very scary and would lead him to be out for a few months. The 2023 season went by and he was fine and then week two of the 2024 NFL season comes by. Tua would sustain a third concussion in the NFL. What is scary is that it was not a big hit it was a regular play. This has led to many conversations on whether he should retire or not. His threshold for sustaining a concussion is significantly lower since he has had so many. Studies have shown that multiple concussions can lead to things such as CTE later in an athlete's life.


    The NFL has made decisions such as allowing players to wear guardian caps in games to have extra protection for their heads. A guardian cap is extra padding on a helmet that most teams have required at practice but is now an option for players in the game. Some players have taken advantage of this while others have stayed away from it. Do you think that it is smart for Tua to continue playing and is it right for doctors to even allow it?

Comments

  1. Grant IsraelSeptember 24, 2024 at 6:22 PM

    I had been watching this game live along with the other two and unfortunately witnessed all three of his concussions take place. After this third and most recent one, I think he should definitely consider retirement. When it comes to head injuries, those aren't something you should mess around with when they occur. All of his concussions have been serious cases and gut-wrenching to watch. Do you think he should retire after this most recent occurrence too?

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