Tua Tagovailoa In Concussion Protocol; Investigation Underway

The Buffalo Bills are preparing for their second-to-last game of the 2022 regular season, which will be played this Monday night against the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Bills (12-3) will be the number one seed in the AFC for the postseason, if they win their final two games against the Bengals and the New England Patriots. They can fall to the three seed, which would be possible if the Bills lose to the Bengals on Monday. Buffalo is assured of at least one home playoff game, after winning the AFC East.

The Miami Dolphins are reeling.

Miami has lost four straight games, after starting 8-3. They are 8-7 and currently hold the 7th and final AFC playoff spot. They are battling with the Patriots, Jets, Steelers, Jaguars and Titans for the final playoff spot, although Jacksonville and Tennessee are fighting for the AFC South crown as well.

The Dolphins play the Patriots in a gigantic game in Foxborough this weekend, but Miami won't have their starting quarterback.

Head coach Mike McDaniel has ruled out Tua Tagovailoa for Sunday's game against New England, which means veteran Teddy Bridgewater will start in what's a must-win game for Miami.

Tua suffered his third concussion in less than four months on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. However, like the hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano in week 3, Tagovailoa finished the game against the Packers, which was the entire second half.

According to Marcel Louis-Jacques of ESPN, Tua reported symptoms to the team on Monday. After tests were performed he was placed in the NFL's concussion protocol and was officially ruled out on Wednesday for Sunday's game.

Many NFL fans are not happy that Tagovailoa's hit and subsequent concussion was not discovered and he was allowed to continue playing against the Packers.

Louis-Jacques reports that the NFLPA in conjunction with the NFL, has launched an investigation of

The Dolphins independent neuro consultant, who cleared Tagovailoa to re-enter the game against the Bills in September, was fired after an investigation. Tagovailoa was injured the following week against the Bengals, where he was taken to a hospital after another head injury.

He returned a few weeks later and was hurt again on Christmas against Green Bay.

McDaniel said to the Miami media that Tua's long-term health was "paramount."

The fact Tua was ruled out immediately, four days out from the game against New England, is a bad sign. This is bigger than football. To have that many concussions or head injuries in that short amount of time should mean he sits out the remainder of the season.

Tua's future, long-term health is far more important than NFL games.