Famed Neuroscientist Says Tua Tagovailoa Should Never Play Football Again
‘WALK AWAY’
The doctor who inspired Will Smith’s Concussion film, Bennet Omalu, spoke out Tuesday against Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s future employment in the NFL, insisting it’s time he call it quits. Tagovailoa suffered a traumatic brain injury playing against the Buffalo Bills on Sept. 25, then suffered another traumatic brain injury in his next game on Sept. 29 after an unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant said he was safe to return to the field. “It’s time. You’ve suffered severe, long-term, permanent brain damage,” Omalu said to TMZ Sports. “If you love your life, if you love your family, you love your kids—if you have kids—it’s time to gallantly walk away. Go find something else to do.” The joint investigation by the NFL and the NFL Players Association into concussion protocol used on Tagovailoa is ongoing and has not made any conclusions regarding medical errors or protocol violations as of Saturday, though the NFLPA fired the consultant on Friday.