Tua Tagovailoa via Highlight Heaven YouTube

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was carted off the field on a stretcher after he was slammed hard into the ground by Cincinnati Bengals’ Josh Tupou.

Tua Tagovailoa via Miami Dolphins YouTube

With a little over five minutes left in the second quarter, Tagovailoa was first corralled  by Josh Tupou and then slammed hard into the field.

After making contact with the field Tagovailoa did not get back up and put his hands in front of his face as he waited on the training staff.

He was eventually placed on a stretcher and carted off the field as the entire Dolphins team surrounded him.

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The Miami Dolphins revealed on Twitter that Tagovailoa suffered “head and neck injuries.”

Miami Dolphins Twitter

They went on to report he had “been taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. He is conscious and has movement in all his extremities.”

Miami Dolphins Twitter

In their most recent update they indicated he “is expected to be discharged from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and will fly home with the team tonight.”

Miami Dolphins Twitter

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ESPN reporter Jeremy Fowler claims that Tagovailoa is back at him in South Florida and he’s scheduled for an MRI and “possibly second opinion.” He also noted, “Initial tests showed no structural damage.”

Jeremy Fowler Twitter

The injury was the second in less than a week. In their game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, Tagovailoa reportedly suffered a head injury after he was shoved to the ground by Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano.

After taking the hit he got up, shook his head, and then collapsed back to the ground.

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The Dolphins reported at the time he suffered a “head injury” and was “questionable to return.”

Miami Dolphins Twitter

Tagovailoa would eventually return to the game against the Bills and lead them to a 21 to 19 win and a 3-0 record.

Following the game Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel revealed it wasn’t a head injury, but a back injury. He explained, “Now, Tua, he went out with a lower back, and I hadn’t had that rep with him yet.”

McDaniel added, “He kind of got bent back pretty significantly on a quarterback sneak earlier. I was kind of with everyone else. When he hit his head on the ground, I assumed it was a head injury, but his legs got wobbly because his lower back was completely loose and as he described it, he said his lower back was like Gumby or something.”

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Tagovailoa also addressed the media explaining it was a back and ankle issue, “I would say it was more the back than the ankle. The ankle was just, I would say, after the game soreness when my legs got caught up under whoever it was on the quarterback sneak.”

When asked about his head, he responded, “I’m fine.”

The Dolphins lost their first game of the season after Tagovailoa’s injury falling to the Bengals 27-15. Teddy Bridgewater came in as a backup and went 14-23 for 193 yards. He threw one touchdown and one interception.

It wasn’t a match to Joe Burrow’s 287 yards with 20 completions on 31 attempts and two touchdowns and zero interceptions.

Tua Tagovailoa via Miami Dolphins YouTube

What do you make of Tagovailoa’s injury?

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