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Tua Tagovailoa is one of just a few NFL players who has been placed in concussion protocol for a third time in the past five seasons, but the protocol by which the Dolphins quarterback would be cleared for future play will remain the same, the league confirmed Saturday.
“The purpose of the concussion protocol is to make sure the person doesn’t return until they are fully recovered from that injury,” Dr. Allen Sills, the NFL’s chief medical officer, tells CBS Sports.
“Obviously we don’t put timestamps on the protocol because of the fact that every injury is unique. … Now I would also say that it’s intuitively obvious that healthcare providers are increasingly conservative in those time elements if someone has a repeated injury. But again, it has to account for the time interval between injuries and the duration of symptoms.”
In Thursday night’s loss to the Bills, Tagovailoa suffered his third known concussion in the NFL. He’s one of at least 10 players since 2019 who has entered the protocol at least three times, according to CBS Sports research, and he’s the only quarterback to be in the protocol three separate times in the past five years.
The league’s concussion protocol, developed in consultation with the NFL Players Association, is a five-step program. Phase One requires symptom-limited activity, followed by aerobic exercise that continues with no symptoms. Phase Three involves a return to football-specific exercise for no more than 30 minutes before what would essentially be a return to practice. Phase Five is full evaluation and clearance by a team doctor and an independent neurological consultant.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has offered no timeline for Tagovailoa’s potential return to play. Debates have been had across the football world about whether Tagovailoa should continue playing.
Whatever Tagovailoa ultimately decides will be up to him.
“I have great confidence in…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/why-dolphins-tua-tagovailoa-faces-same-nfl-concussion-protocol-despite-numerous-head-injuries-in-recent-years/
Author : Jonathan Jones
Publish date : 2024-09-15 10:01:25
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