Why Chris Long fears Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa might feel pressured to return amid injury
09/14/2024 10:47 PM
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion issues resurfaced Thursday evening when he suffered another brain injury after lowering his head into a hit from Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. It was the third concussion of his career and the second that resulted in a frightening moment on the field during gameplay.
The extent of Tagovailoa's absence is still unclear, but there are growing concerns that his career and even potentially his long-term health could be in jeopardy. And while speculation continues to grow as to who the Dolphins could bring in as a replacement, former NFL defensive end Chris Long is voicing his concern that Tagovailoa could potentially be pressured into returning quickly after he got paid in the offseason.
On his podcast Green Light with Chris Long, a Yote House Media production, the two-time Super Bowl champ expressed hope that Tagovailoa will receive the best possible advice regarding his health but noted that the quarterback might feel pressured to return, especially after securing a major four-year, $212.1 million contract.
“I just want him to be OK,” Long said. “And the guy just got paid. Thank God he got paid, you know? And no one should apologize for getting paid. … I want him to get every dollar, and err on the side of caution, you know what I mean?
“I just hope that a guy like him doesn't feel like he has to go back,” he continued. “And the thing that got him here is the thing that's going to be his worst enemy – if he has to make a decision like that – which is his f**king determination. We can be our worst enemies as football players. I hope he gets the proper care and the proper advice.”
Chris Long knew something was wrong immediately
Chris Long went on to express his immediate concern for Tua Tagovailoa after seeing him go down following the hit by Hamlin, stating that he knew right away something was wrong.
“As soon as he took off, I just had a bad feeling. And when he went down on the turf tonight and did (the fencing posture) again, it was like, 'Oh no.' I mean, like, I’m not that guy anymore,” Long said. “It shook me up. I think it shakes everybody up watching. I just hope he's OK, man… Whatever you think of him as a football player, he's overcome a lot.
“I think he's mentally pretty tough, you know, to hang in there, and take the field and come back from those concussions and deal with criticism. Because he gets a lot of it, and some of it can be warranted, the play on the field. But I couldn't imagine shouldering that burden of being a QB in the NFL. He's battled. I'll give him that.”
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