Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been urged to quit playing football by a famed neuropathologist after suffering a nasty concussion last week.
The 24-year-old suffered a scary-looking injury against the Bengals last Thursday (October 5) after being sacked by Josh Tupou and appearing to seize up.
The player was stretchered off the field and currently remains in Concussion Protocol.
The injury faced scrutiny as it came just days after Tagovailoa was allowed to re-enter the field against the Buffalo Bills after being analysed for another possible head injury.
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The quarterback has now been begged to give up football by highly-respected ‘concussion doctor’ Bennet Omalu, the man who first discovered and published findings on Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) in former NFL players.
Omalu told Tagovailoa via TMZ: “Tua, my brother. I love you. I love you as much as I love my son.
“Stop playing. Stop. Hang your helmet and gallantly walk away.
“If you love your life, if you love your family, you love your kids - if you have kids - it's time to gallantly walk away.
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“Go find something else to do.”
The Nigerian-American physician added: “It's time [to retire]. [He's] suffered long-term, permanent brain damage.
“He should stop. Sometimes money is not more valuable than human life. $20 billion is not worth more than your brain.”
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Omalu wrote the 2018 book Brain Damage in Contact Sports.
His fight against the NFL in publishing and publicising concussion issues with the sport turned into a theatrical release by Sony Pictures.
The 2015 film was titled Concussion and looked at Bennet’s life and work.
He was played by Will Smith in the film.
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The NFL Player’s Association is investigating why Tua was cleared to play following his hit against the Bills, according to The Sun.
The publication reports that the independent doctor who passed Tua on the concussion protocol has since been fired.
The NFL and NFLPA have agreed that modifications must be made to the Concussion Protocol to increase player safety.
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The quarterback has already been ruled out of Miami’s next fixture with the New York Jets.
Topics: American Football, NFL, US Sports, Australia
Jayden Collins