Tagovailoa will now be assessed beneath the NFL’s return-to-participation protocol, a five-step course of gamers should clear earlier than returning to motion.
They’re assessed by a staff doctor and an impartial neurological guide (INC), who can even contemplate the participant’s previous exposures and medical historical past.
Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel stated the timeline for Tagovailoa’s potential return is “the furthest factor from my thoughts” as he’s “caring in regards to the human being”. However as soon as the participant is handed match, it would then be his determination whether or not to place himself again in hurt’s means.
Tagovailoa admitted contemplating retirement, external after the 2 concussions in 2022. At that time, he was nonetheless on a rookie contract price $30m (£22.9m). Nonetheless, he has since signed a four-year deal price $212m (£161m).
Fellow quarterback Andrew Luck is essentially the most high-profile instance of a participant who retired early for the sake of his health – aged 29 in 2019.
Over the past 10 years, Jordan Reed (30), Luke Kuechly (28), AJ Tarpley (23), Ali Marpet (28) and Chris Borland (24) have additionally stopped enjoying due to a number of concussions or considerations over the long-term influence of head traumas.
Tagovailoa, although, has a much more profitable contract at stake.