How Many Concussions Does NFL Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa ...

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained at least the third concussion of his NFL career during his team’s home game against their AFC East rival Buffalo Bills on Sept. 12.

The injury occurred when Tagovailoa, 26, ran for a first down and his helmet collided with Bills safety Damar Hamlin.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa collides with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin and suffers a concussion during their game at Hard Rock Stadium Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida.Carmen Mandato / Getty ImagesTua Tagovailoa lies on the field after suffering a concussion. Lynne Sladky / AP

After he went down, Tagovailoa moved his hands and arms in a manner consistent with a concussion. Team officials looked at him on the field before he got up and walked off with a limp. He was ruled out and did not return to play the remainder of the game, as backup Skylar Thompson came in to replace him.

“He was in good spirits,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters after the game.

“My thought was concern,” McDaniel said about what he was thinking after Tagovailoa got hurt. “I was just worried about my guy. It’s not something that you ever want to be a part of, you hope not to.”

Tua Tagovailoa reacts after being hit.Megan Briggs / Getty ImagesDolphins team trainers and medical personnel tend to Tua Tagovailoa.Megan Briggs / Getty Images

McDaniel, who kissed Tagovailoa on the head as he left the field, also said the quarterback will be evaluated further on Sept. 13, without getting into any specifics about a timeline of what will happen beyond that. The Dolphins, who lost the game to the Bills, 31-10, next play Sept. 22, when they travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks.

Tua Tagovailoa's history of concussions

Tagovailoa has a history of concussions. He didn’t miss a game in the 2023 season, but he endured a pair of them in 2022. That season, he first suffered a head injury during a game against the Bills and exited before later returning. The consultant who cleared him to play was eventually fired. Tagovailoa played again a few days later and got a concussion during the team's game against the Cincinnati Bengals that had many people wondering if he came back to the field too soon. Tagovailoa was diagnosed with another concussion later in the season following the Dolphins' game against the Green Bay Packers.

During his final college season playing for Alabama in 2019, Tagovailoa was diagnosed with a concussion, among other injuries, ESPN reported.

The quarterback, who was the fifth overall pick by the Dolphins in the 2020 NFL draft, is now the subject of talk that he should retire.

Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel kisses Tua Tagovailoa as he walks off the field after getting up following his concussion.Megan Briggs / Getty Images

“That’s it…. NFL go ahead and do the right thing Tua has had entirely way too many concussions He need to retire for his longevity health concerns,” former Dallas Cowboys star wide receiver Dez Bryant wrote on X.

“If I’m him, at this point, I’m seriously considering retiring from football,” Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez said in the postgame show on Prime Video.

“This is something that can affect you long term,” he added.

“Tua gotta retire man. It aint worth it,” one fan wrote on X.

Tua Tagovailoa walks off the field. He did not return.Megan Briggs / Getty Images

There is also irony in the fact Tagovailoa was hurt on a play involving Hamlin, who famously suffered cardiac arrest in a game in January 2023 and worked his way back to the football field.

Hamlin says he is thinking about Tagovailoa.

“My love and prayers with @Tua fasho.. Sending you strength and healing for a speedy recovery. much love broski,” Hamlin wrote on X after the game.

Drew Weisholtz

Drew Weisholtz is a reporter for TODAY Digital, focusing on pop culture, nostalgia and trending stories. He has seen every episode of “Saved by the Bell” at least 50 times, longs to perfect the crane kick from “The Karate Kid” and performs stand-up comedy, while also cheering on the New York Yankees and New York Giants. A graduate of Rutgers University, he is the married father of two kids who believe he is ridiculous.