If you’re an NFL fan or even a youth football coach, this article will
touch the mind, body, and spirit. As I sit here behind my laptop, many
thoughts have ran through my “khaotik” frame of thought. You may
have a son, grandson, nephew, or any young child who aspires to play
football. We love the sound of fans cheering every weekend; whistles
being blown, touchdown celebrations; all the makings of what football
consists of. What I’m about to say may strike ire and create further
dialogue in giving you a different perspective.
This isn’t an easy article to type folks; as a fan, the subject matter I’m
going to attempt writing about has bothered me for many years. As a
former athlete myself, there’s stories I could turn into sports novels.
But I’ll save those for another moment in time. If you’ve been living
under a rock the last few days, Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua
Tagovailoa suffered another concussion during a home Thursday night
game versus division rival Buffalo Bills. As the play opened, he
scrambles for the first down, while lowering his shoulder and collides
with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Upon contact, Tagovailoa fell to the
ground, hand curled up as players stood in a circle. If you’re not familiar
with Tua’s concussion history, it’s alarming to be honest.
What’s transpired the last few days is speculation as to what his career
will look like. There was concerns about his durability coming out of
Alabama; after a freak hip injury which caused him to miss all of 2019
season. Miami Dolphins took a flier in notion of solving their
quarterback woes. Selected 5 th overall in the 2020 NFL Draft.
After multiple concussions and concerns among former players, it’s
been a topic of discussion. Should Tua Tagovailoa walk away the NFL?
Many of us have asked this question since the latest concussion he
endured. Securing his contract extension of $212.4 million over four
years. As he’s likely met with neurosurgeons and plenty of specialists,
the decision could come down to his longevity to play in the present.
His concussion history is sounding off with each game and Miami brass
knew in advance what could happen.
Here's the aspect I’m approaching far as a humanistic perspective. How
many more concussions will it take before Tua finally says “enough?” A
promising young-man whose faith and devotion is well-known. Deep in
his heart of hearts, the competitor wants to keep battling and be a
great leader, player for his team. The man within is crying and hurting
with each hit his body endures.
We’ve seen great players go through hell and high waters trying to keep
playing; but even those guys knew their bodies couldn’t handle the
collision. If you remember, the NFL settled a massive lawsuit to former
players over concussion protocols. Most of those guys lived to tell their
stories of playing with chronic pain and dealing with the symptoms of
CTE. Others ended up taking their own lives due to the physical toll
concussions took on their bodies. There’s been former players who
ended up in legalities and having to be evaluated for mental health
issues.
As Tua is taking the necessary steps to attempt coming back, this
conversation needs to be talked about. For a young man who’s still
young at the ripe age of 26 years old, a lot of great years yet to live.
Remembering the birth of your children, first day of school, all those
memories will be forgotten if the head and brain continue this
trajectory. It’s the conversations former great players have been more
open about; even with current players who’ve expressed the physical
toll on their bodies just to keep going.
Players fight tooth and nail to secure the most money guaranteed. It’s
reasons like this the CBA needs to be adjusted to make contracts fully
guaranteed versus paying (2) years with the (3 rd ) year injury
guaranteed. The owners, GMs don’t suit up every week and battle for
sixty-minutes plus nor play seventeen games: plus the postseason.
Players risk their careers for organizations every… single… year… The
price of success comes with health risks in playing football. One hit too
many can ruin a promising career. There’s no way to make football
safer; that like eliminating nicotine out of cigarettes and people still
smoke them. We can’t make football safer no matter the fundamentals
of tackling. Guys are faster, stronger with the advancement of sports
medicine.
For Tua, there will come a time in his young career when he says:
“okay, I can’t play at an elite level. Let me walk away with my mind and
body. Bank account is secured, let’s build generational wealth for my
children.” That would be my suggestion to him, but I’m not in the inner
circle. I’m giving you the readers dialogue to have with your sons if
they’re considering playing football. As a proud uncle of a nephew who
loves football, we’ve had this uncomfortable conversation.
The reality of what could happen if your brain takes one too many hits
and how it effects your life hereafter. We enjoy our weekends filled
with cheers, big touchdown passes, celebrations, division rivalry games;
but when you see a player go down and it’s a concussion, the whole
mood changes. You can be a great player, but your greatest team is
your family. Those are the ones who’ll be there when the lights, cheers,
fans, and peers fade out like a mid-summer night in August.
In the end, Tua Tagovailoa must make this decision on his own terms.
To keep playing football knowing each week could be his last. Everyone
in the Miami Dolphins organization is liable at this juncture. If any
loopholes occur, it will bring serious repercussions across the league.
One bad apple will rotten the rest. For the sake of this subject, please
have this uncomfortable conversation with your young men. It may give
them further insight and touch their mind, body, and spirit.
Stai tuned.
