Harrowing Injuries and Questionable Protocols Hit the NFL
by Alexis Barton
In the past week, several injuries have brought attention to star players in the NFL. Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback for the Miami Dolphins, took his second hit to the head this season. In a game against the Bengals, Tagovailoa was brought down by Josh Tupou around the 50-yard line and the back of his head hit the ground. Immediately after the hit, Tagovailoa tensed up in pain and locked his fingers. This action in particular has been noted by the medical community as a clear sign of brain trauma. The quarterback stayed down while trainers brought out a stretcher and he was evaluated. However, this was not Tagovailoa’s first incident with a head injury this semester. In an earlier game against Buffalo, the quarterback had another hit to the head which resulted in a clear stumble and fall for Tagovailoa afterwards. This incident sent him into concussion protocol, but he was cleared within days leading up to his second incident. Since the second hit, the unaffiliated neuro consultant who cleared him for release has been dismissed by the Dolphins, and the NFL has started an investigation into the situation.
On the other side of the country, JJ Watt of the Arizona Cardinals shared a tweet about a health scare he had recently experienced. He shared, “I was just told somebody leaked some personal information about me and it’s going to be reported on today. I went into A-Fib on Wednesday, had my heart shocked back into rhythm on Thursday and I’m playing today. That’s it”. Atrial fibrillation, the condition that Watt refers to, is an irregular heartbeat that can, in some cases, lead to blood clots in the heart (WebMD, 2022). There is no doubt that this condition is serious and could cause long term issues. Despite this concern, Watt played the following Sunday under the advice of team cardiologists. Watt has since been transparent about the fear and emotion that he and his family have gone through during this health scare, but it is unclear how this will affect the future of his NFL career. There is no active investigation from the NFL regarding this situation as Watt appears to be in better health, but it is an area of concern for football fans nonetheless.
Both of these stories are of particular concern given recent information about the death of Damaryius Thomas, former Denver Broncos wide receiver. Following Thomas’ death in December 2021, his family made the honorable decision to share his body with researchers studying the impact of contact sports like football on the brain. Since that time, researchers have shared with the public that Thomas suffered from chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a brain disorder that has become increasingly prevalent in former athletes. Though the cause of death was marked up to a seizure disorder, there were clear declines in Thomas’ health in his final months that can be attributed to CTE, such as paranoia, mood swings, and memory loss.
There is no clear path forward on how the NFL and other professional sports leagues can solve the issue of physical health threats to their athletes. However, it is critical that commissioners and medical professionals alike hold input from athletes in the highest regard. While their profession is a source of entertainment for millions, they should not be put in situations where they sacrifice their wellbeing for the sake of the game.
