Protocol Overhaul
On Sept. 25, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a traumatic head injury in the second quarter of an NFL (National Football League) game against the Buffalo Bills. Following a tackle from Bills linebacker Matt Milano, Tagovailoa’s head hit the ground forcefully and when attempting to get back to his feet, he appeared to nearly stumble back to the ground. He was then taken to the locker room, but passed the league-mandated concussion protocol and was cleared by team staff to return in the second half of the game, drawing criticism from many viewers. A few days later, in the Dolphins’ following game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 29, Tagovailoa severely injured his head again after being tackled and looked to be in a very critical condition. When medical staff arrived, he was unconscious with his fingers and arms flexed unnaturally; this was concerning because both are signs of a traumatic brain injury called a “fencing response.” He was rushed to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center where he was evaluated and sent home shortly after. Following this, the NFL Players Association, a labor union representing all NFL players, initiated a joint investigation with the NFL to review if the Dolphins properly followed protocol. This resulted in the firing of one of the doctors who examined Tagovailoa. Senior and varsity football player Jeremy Boze explains how the decision to let Tagovailoa continue to play was extremely risky considering his situation.
“I do not think Tagovailoa should have been able to continue to play in the game [against the Bills] considering the injury he had,” Boze said. “If the tackle was so forceful that his injury caused the medical staff to come on the turf, they should have examined him more thoroughly. If the examination was done in a more careful manner, he would not have had another injury in the following game.”
Following the completion of the joint investigation, the NFL and NFL Players Association decided to modify their concussion protocol with the goal to enhance player safety. The protocol now requires any player who is diagnosed with ataxia to be pulled from a game completely. Ataxia is the medical term for poor muscle control associated with concussions such as unsteadiness or slurred speech. The updated policy was first used in the Dolphins’ game against the New York Jets on Oct. 9 when Teddy Bridgewater, the Dolphins’ backup quarterback, was diagnosed with ataxia. This made Bridgewater the first ever player to be removed from an NFL game as a result of his examination. Junior Steven Hack expresses how the efforts put in to change the protocol will lead to improvement.
“I believe that the modifications to the concussion protocol will benefit many players going forward,” Hack said. “This incident definitely hurt the reputation of the NFL, but the attempt that they are making to bring change, even though football is a rough sport, is very commendable.”
The injury that Tagovailoa sustained is part of the widespread concern over the risk of head injuries that football players have faced in the NFL. According to Cable News Network, football claims the highest rates of concussions in any sport; furthermore, brain injuries account for 65% to 95% of all fatalities in football (The Brain Institute). As a result, people believe that the NFL’s concussion protocols contribute to the high rates of head injuries. Previously, players underwent quick exams, such as repeating words in a memory test, showing coordinated eye movement and demonstrating balance if they reported to be having some symptoms of a concussion. With the changes being made to strengthen the protocol, the NFL hopes many players will be protected and that there will be a reduction in the number of concussion cases. Senior Dawson Sarner conveys his thoughts on the benefit of the players for the future with the new implementation of protocols.
“Football is a rough sport and there are so many ways you can get hurt which is why I think the NFL needs to have strong protocols,” Sarner said. “I really think it is sad to see the number of head trauma cases in the NFL and how so many people get hurt because they are not treated or cleared properly. With the new pr
