Robert Griffin III tells Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa to miss the rest of the season

Robert Griffin III has called for Tua Tagovailoa to sit out the rest of the season after being placed in concussion protocol once again in a passionate speech on ESPN.

The Miami Dolphins quarterback, 24, is under the protocol for the second time this season but has had three worrying head injuries in the 2022 campaign, with the first one against the Buffalo Bills seemingly missed by officials.

Fans thought Tagovailoa might have got concussed from being taken down on a play shortly before halftime in the Dolphins defeat by the Packers on Christmas Day. Tagovailoa played the rest of the game but uncharacteristically threw three interceptions in the fourth quarter.

Tagovailoa’s second concussion, after being ripped to the turf by 6-foot-3, 340-pound Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou, saw him taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to hospital after going into the fencing position. It was only four days after the incident in the Bills game, where he was wobbly on his feet after hitting his head on the ground.

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Tua Tagovailoa appeared to get hurt in the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers

Coach Mike McDaniel (right) said on Monday that Tagovailoa was in concussion protocol

Robert Griffin III has called for Dolphins’ Tagovailoa to sit out the rest of the NFL season 

That, combined with the latest news, has Griffin concerned for Tagovailoa’s long-term health. 

‘Our game has kind of moved to the softer side. Roughing the passer, it’s more like touching the passer now,’ he said on ESPN on Monday night. ‘But when we talk about these head injuries, it’s nothing to play with. 

‘You’ve got to put the person ahead of the player. I’m more concerned about Tua and his longevity of life than whether he is going to play on Sunday.

‘We’ve seen guys like Luke Kuechly,  a teammate of mine, Jordan Reed, have to retire because of these head injuries. Guys have gone off the field and done things to hurt themselves and their families because of things that were suffered on the field. CTE (Chronic traumatic encephalopathy), all those things come into play.

‘So my mind is on ‘What does this look like for Tua in the future?’. He should not play for the rest of the season, whether you call it two concussions or three, two incidents or three. it’s a repeat. 

‘And the hit that we think he suffered the concussion on was not that violent of a hit. it was routine ply. But because his head smacked off the ground the repeat of all of those hits are starting to add up.

‘I’m more concerned about Tua and his family than I am about him playing the rest of the year.’

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Monday that there had been no concerns over Tagovaiola’s wellbeing during the game.

He was not taken out of the game or evaluated for a concussion even after the incident where fans suspect he got concussed.

The 24-year-old Tagovailoa appeared concussed on week three – he was wobbly on his feet after a hit against the Buffalo Bills 

Four days later, he was off on a stretcher after being concussed against Cincinnati Bengals

‘As far as the game was concerned, no one recognized anything with regard to any sort of hit,’ McDaniel said.

‘I care very deeply about each and every player. I just want him to get healthy and have peace of mind in that regard. Whatever those circumstances are, you deal with after. It’s about the human being and making sure he’s squared away.’

Tagovaiola is currently doubtful to play for the Dolphins against New England Patriots on Sunday. The team is 8-7 and have lost the four games.

‘It´s too soon to really tell,’ McDaniel said of his availability. ‘You just know that someone goes into the protocol and you have to be ready to really do whatever with that.’ 

Griffin, meanwhile, is currently a free agent, having last played for the Baltimore Ravens in 2021.