Tua Tagovailoa issued a statement Friday afternoon acknowledging the support he’s received in the wake of his frightening exit from the Dolphins’ road matchup against the Bengals on Thursday Night Football.
Less than 24 hours prior, the 24-year-old quarterback sustained head and neck injuries after taking a scary hit from Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tapou in the second quarter. Tagovailoa was stretchered off the field and taken to the hospital for further evaluation. He was later discharged and allowed to fly back to Miami with the team while wearing a protective neck brace.
Making his first public comments since his unsettling injury, Tagovailoa shared a message on Twitter thanking the Dolphins, his loved ones and those who reached out to him for their support. Tagovailoa, who is currently in concussion protocol, also stated that he’s “feeling much better” and is focusing on his road to recovery.
“I want to thank everyone for all of their prayers and support since the game last night,” the statement began. “It was difficult to not be able to finish the game and be there with my teammates, but I am grateful for the support and care I’ve received from the Dolphins, my friends and family, and all the people who have reached out.
“I’m feeling much better and focused on recovering so I can get back out on the field with my teammates. #TTAG #FinsUp”
Tagovailoa’s health has been the subject of much scrutiny this week due to the discourse surrounding his condition since the Dolphins’ Week 3 game versus the Bills.
Tagovailoa had been listed as questionable coming into TNF because of a back injury he sustained on Sunday, and ultimately ended up being cleared to play just under two hours before kickoff. The diagnosis came after he briefly exited against Buffalo with what initially appeared to be a head injury. Tagovailoa was cleared to return to the game and later told reporters his exit was caused by a back injury.
Still, the Dolphins’ mounting questions many pundits believe Tagovailoa’s injury in Week 4 may have been linked to a prior issue. The NFL Player’s Association is continuing to investigate the process that led to Tagovailoa returning to last week’s game.
As of Friday, there remains no timetable for Tagovailoa’s return, according to coach Mike McDaniel.
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