Audio By Carbonatix
Tua Tagovailoa returned to the starting lineup for the Miami Dolphins on Sunday after another scary concussion led him to end up on Injured Reserve. Fans at Hard Rock Stadium went absolutely bonkers when their $212 million quarterback slid down to the ground on his first scramble back.
It was a raucous ovation at the request of Tyreek Hill and a few other teammates.
Tagovailoa has a history of head injuries. This most recent incident saw fans call for him to retire. He ultimately decided to continue his career because there is “risk in everything.”
The Dolphins are obviously thrilled to have him back. However, they want him to be careful.
Tagovailoa returned from a concussion during Week 7 of the 2022 NFL season. One of his first plays back was a run from the Steelers’ 11-yard-line. Devin Bush stepped up to make the tackle but Miami’s signal-caller lowered his shoulder and ran him over to gain an extra yard or two.
tua is really trying to be csonka pic.twitter.com/ozsFEgfbQW
— josh houtz (@houtz) October 24, 2022
Head coach Mike McDaniel and his players did not want him to do that again on Sunday. Hill specifically asked fans to cheer whenever Tagovailoa adheres to his new protocol— so they did!
The crowd erupted in cheers when their quarterback hit the turf during his first scramble of the game.
Tua with a first down run and a slide as he gets into the red zone! 🐬
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 27, 2024
📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/v3EdSLJdoJ
With all sincerity behind the excitement, Miami fans gave Tagovailoa a solid two-minute ovation for simply… avoiding contact. They are obviously thrilled to have him back on the field. They were even more excited to see him protect his head.
This will continue to be a theme throughout the rest of the season. Dolphins fans are going to cheer, loudly, whenever Tua Tagovailoa slides with his feet first. It is positive reinforcement for someone who needs to do everything in his power to stay on the field and continue his career.