Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel has called for the support of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa after the 26-year-old suffered another concussion on Thursday night.
The NFL star was involved in a collision that meant he could not continue in the 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills, lowering his shoulder into Damar Hamlin as he looked to pick up yards on a rush.
Luckily, he was able to walk off the field but there was mass concern in Florida as Tagovailoa lay on the pitch with his arms in an unnatural fencing position.
His most recent injury has prompted some fans to question whether he is cut out for the NFL, but head coach McDaniel hit back when questioned about it in his press conference on Friday.
He said: “I think it would be so wrong of me to even sniff that subject, and it’s more in line of actually caring about the human being.
“You’re talking about his career – his career is his … I just wish that people would for a second hear what I’m saying, that bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him.
“So, I’m going to plead with everybody that does genuinely care that that should be the last thing on your mind because you don’t, what do you think?
Coach Mike McDaniel is live at the podium.
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“I’m not assessing the injury through the lens of like, ‘Alright, so what does this mean for him playing?
“I’m not trying to even look at, okay, well how serious is this relative to his past ones?
“I know the facts are that it’s important that he gets healthy day by day … the best thing I can do is not try to assess what this even means from a football standpoint.”
Tagovailoa had two concussions in the 2022 season and a third more recently that led to a review into how the NFL deals with head injuries.
Plenty of former stars of the sport have been vocal in calling for the QB to retire, but McDaniel stood firm and was not dragged into the conversation.
He added: “If I were to answer that question, I’d be like, ‘Alright, this is my thoughts on his career.’
“And he reads it – if he agreed with it or he disagreed with it, either way I’ve just made him worse … I don’t think it’s appropriate simply because of my caring and regard.
“And I don’t think those types of conversations when you’re talking about somebody’s career, I think it probably is only fair that their career should be set by them.”
