What happens if Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa retires after concussion?

Miami Dolphins offensive lineman Austin Jackson was among the closest players to the action when quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered the third confirmed concussion of his career during Thursday’s game against the Buffalo Bills. Concerned for his teammate’s well-being, Jackson expressed his distress in the aftermath.

“Crushed. I hate to see him like that,” Jackson told ESPN‘s Marcel Louis-Jacques. “Given his history with these types of injuries, it hurts to see. I wish I could take it back, especially since it happened while he was rushing out of the pocket. I could have done better.”

The injury occurred when Tagovailoa, scrambling, went headfirst into Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa immediately assumed a fencing position, and Jackson could tell from his vantage point on the field that his teammate “wasn’t there all the way.” Despite this, Tagovailoa was able to walk off the field and head to the locker room under his own power after being evaluated by trainers.

Tagovailoa, who played college football at Alabama, did not miss a game last season but suffered multiple concussions during the 2022 campaign. One concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals required hospitalization, and another against the Green Bay Packers ended his season. Although he continued to play in the game against the Packers, the severity of his injury wasn’t known until later.

This latest incident is especially notable considering a previous hit Tagovailoa took against the Bills earlier in the season led the NFL to alter its concussion protocol. He remained in that game but suffered a more severe concussion against the Bengals just four days later.

The Dolphins have nine days until their next game on September 22 against the Seattle Seahawks. If Tagovailoa is not medically cleared to play, Skylar Thompson is expected to start at quarterback.