By: Van Cathcart III
Recently the National Football League (NFL) has fallen under major scrutiny for player safety. Head trauma is something that has been in conversation and associated with the sport for many years and is getting to the point where not much can be done but dissolve the sport altogether. Injuries are a part of any sport, especially when playing at the level that professional athletes do. However, head and neck injuries are something more severe than anything else that could happen. These injuries can have several side effects including paralyzing players and even death. Concussion protocols and new rules are being implemented to better protect players better than before. These head injuries are something rather new and have been addressed more and more as we see the game attempt to become more involved with player safety.
The prominent case in the NFL is that of Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins. In the third week of the NFL’s 2022 season, Tagovailoa suffered an injury after taking a hit. The quarterback could be seen staggering down the field after the hit and was taken out of the game to be assessed for a concussion. The team’s doctor on the sideline deemed the injury to be a back injury and cleared Tua to play the remainder of the game. While he finished the game with no problems and no sign of concussion, allowing him to play based on what he showed after the hit was a mistake on its own. A week later, in a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Dolphins quarterback took another big hit when he was sacked. He was slung to the ground, hitting his head on the turf. Tagovailoa lay lifeless on the ground after this hit and ataxia was present. Ataxia is a condition that describes a lack of coordination caused by the inability to control one’s muscles. NFL doctors describe this as when you see a player lock up and clench different muscles after taking a hit to the head. Tagovailoa’s arms flexed, and his hands were contorted before releasing and lying motionless on the ground until he was stretchered off the field.
Tagovailoa’s situation has introduced a new rule to the NFL’s concussion protocols that any player that has experienced any kind of ataxia will no longer be able to perform in that game until they clear protocols and can safely play the game again. This is the first step in a long process for the NFL to keep its players safe while playing this nationally loved game. Football is the most physical sport we see in our lives today, and if steps can’t be made to improve player safety its days might be numbered.