Tales of the Week – 2022 NFL Season Week 4 Edition (A Tua Story)
By: Tyrone Montgomery Jr.
Headline Photo Courtesy: NFL.com
I had a prior engagement Thursday evening so I was away from my phone that night. I was simply off of the grid. I knew, however, there was a game to watch and a game that I wanted to watch closely. That being said, I rushed home as fast as I could. I turned a 15-minute commute into an 8-minute ride home simply to see QB Tua Tagovailoa. I have always been a fan of the QB. I enjoyed him while he was in Alabama. He has ties to one of my favorite QBs in the league, Jalen Hurts as the two QBs were once teammates. Being at Alabama in his college career simply enhanced the hype train that surrounded him. All he did was win at that university. He has had a lot of injuries unfortunately in his young career. The news even broke out recently. We all believed he had 5 medical procedures done before he started his professional NFL career. That now has been confirmed to 8. Many people believed he would get drafted in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. However, we simply just didn’t know when. We all didn’t believe that he would even play in his official rookie NFL season because he had a hip injury. To our surprise, he played and he played fairly well considering the circumstances. I’ve taken so much of a liking to Tua, that I’ve been scouting his little brother over at the University of Maryland, Taulia Tagovailoa. He’s been playing well too and he looks like NFL material just as much as Tua did while he was in college.
When I got home Thursday night, I haven’t even had the chance to get into some comfortable clothes. I immediately went to Amazon Prime. The moment I did so, that is when I saw one of the most disturbing images and scenes that I have ever witnessed in my 29 years of living. Tua was hurt and already on the ground as soon as I tuned in to this game.
- He had no business out there on the field to begin with since he just had a concussion just 4 days prior
- They labeled him as questionable for a back and neck injury but we all know those weren’t the obvious reasons he was questionable
What disturbed me the most was the fingers. I’ve never seen fingers wrapped up like spaghetti noodles or a pretzel before in my life. That was a scary moment for home viewers, hopefully, there weren’t too many children watching. It was also a scary moment for Tua of course and his family, and most importantly it was a scary moment for the league as well as the Miami Dolphins. To see those fingers wrapped up like that as well as the disorientation that was there, has to be a scene NOBODY will ever forget. One of the team doctors has already been fired and RIGHTFULLY SO. This coaching staff as well as ownership and the rest of the medical staff should be questioned too. Thankfully, the league will be investigating this matter further including an interview with the QB. I’m thankful, happy, and relieved that Tua Tagovailoa is doing well after this latest injury. That being said, the Dolphins should be VERY patient in bringing him back to the field. The consideration to keep him out for the remainder of the season should not come as a shocker to anyone. It actually should be the decision. Tua Tagovailoa could have died on the field Thursday evening. The minute I turned the game on that night and saw him down, I turned it off immediately. Why? Because the league as well as the Miami Dolphins made a terrible decision and mistake to play that man. He had no business being on the field and now, we all have to suffer the consequences. Viewers at home had to suffer watching that scene play out. And the Dolphins as well as ownership and the coaching/medical staff have to suffer. They were having a fantastic season. Despite the haters and doubters, Tua was in MVP conversations. Most importantly, the Dolphins were undefeated. Ultimately, the league has to suffer now as they could have a lawsuit forming against them. More information is to come in the coming weeks, but let’s all give Tua Tagovailoa much-needed love, prayers, and support moving forward.
