Tua Tagovailoa injury

[Miner]

Sometimes the NFL has ugly injuries.

Certainly not as gory as Joe Theisman’s leg snappy against Lawrence Taylor, but not exactly something to look at.

Then again, seeing a car crash over and over.

 

[Superhatch]

I think the issue is that they likely covered up the first concussion and nobody really questioned it. If you have not recovered from a concussion and get another you are prone to get SIS (sudden impact syndrome) and it is often fatal. It's hard to cover up a bone sticking out, but head injuries seem to be something the NFL has some serious issues dealing with in a variety of ways.

The fact that they played him later in the same game when he got his first injury was crazy.

 

[Honcho]

It's disgusting. I watched both head injuries in real time. I don't care what tests the NFL/team claims he passed, that poor young man had a serious concussion on Sunday (so bad he lost motor control for almost 1 minute) and then they put him back in that game and then another game 96 hours later. When the game started, my wife even said "I hope he doesn't hit his head hard again tonight- it could kill him."

The impact was so bad that it triggered an automatic infantile response. His brain stem was impacted so badly that his brain turned him into a 4 month old baby to protect his life. I've litigated several TBI cases and impacts like this will have lifelong effects in memory, mood, and general cognitive ability. He should have never been on the field.

The most ethical answer here is for him to retire. Concussions tend to have a cumulative effect. But, he will smile for the cameras, wink and say he feels fine. The team will rally behind him and keep sending him out there. We'll see clips of him practicing hard and throwing accurate bombs down field. The media will praise him for being "so brave", etc. The sick part is that everyone stands to make a lot of money by his continuing to play...including Tua. Who is going to advocate for his health (and life?) under those circumstances? So sad.

 

[Miner]

I didn’t see the first injury in the bills game. The one in Thursday’s game looked nasty.

I do not believe the NFL is as good as it should be in testing and treating concussions; but it is trying to get better.

My nephew has suffered several concussions in high school and while he was recruited to play at Wheaton, has been permanently benched due to suffering a concussion in practice his first year at school. I’m thankful the university didn’t keep treating him like cannon fodder, as many schools might have done. He has his whole life to live after football, and God willing he won’t have long lasting effects.

I don’t know enough about T Ts injury, but I would hope he and his family get some good, independent medical advice. Maybe a call from Bernie Kosar or Jim McMahon would be a wake up call.

 

[docjohn]

I wonder what the business model is for "touch" football...

 

[Hass]

You have to be clueless to think he didn’t have head injuries on Sunday. It was reckless to have him play again 4 days. I don’t know if the Sunday injury played any role in last nights game but it was not good.

I hope he has a speedy recovery, I was bummed when the Lions didn’t get him.

 

[NSXnZ]

I’ve only seen that in the ICU or in the ER during my surgical internship after a major car accident. Didn’t think I’d ever witness it on live TV. It was disgusting to watch as a fan…hope he retires for his sake.

 

[neuronbob]

I am a neurologist in my offline life. What happened here was NOT cool. I have personally been in a situation in which a (not NFL) team tried to pressure me into clearing someone in too short a time after a concussion. I held my ground and practiced appropriate medicine. Just my opinion.

 

[Proctor]

Thankfully it seems like they've taken some steps to avoid this type of thing in the future. Last couple weeks, players have been getting "buzzed" if they get up gingerly or look woozy after a play. They seem to be pretty aggressive (rightfully) with it too.