When Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered what was at least his third NFL concussion early this season, the question was whether he would—or should—ever play football again. The answer is here: Tagovailoa has cleared the NFL's concussion protocol and will play against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, per the AP. The 26-year-old spent about a month on injured reserve after his latest concussion on Sept. 12.
Tagovailoa has since met with numerous medical experts who deemed it safe for him to play football again, according to the team. He needed to clear the NFL's five-step return-to-play process, which came after he participated in practices and took contact without exhibiting concussion symptoms. Tagovailoa was examined after Thursday's practice by an independent neurological consultant, who cleared him to play Sunday, said coach Mike McDaniel.
"Words can't describe how excited I get for all players that have opportunities that I know they don't take for granted," McDaniel said Friday. "It's very exciting from a human perspective as a coach for this team." Tagovailoa has a history of head injuries since entering the NFL, having been diagnosed with two concussions in 2022 and suffering another scary hit to the head that season, which led to changes in the NFL's concussion rules. Tagovailoa said he wouldn't wear a Guardian Cap—an optional protective soft-shell helmet cover—because of a "personal choice." Tagovailoa already wears a quarterback-specific helmet designed to help reduce head injuries.
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