Injury Report: Tua Tagovailoa injuries and overall handling of the situation

[GKJ]

So.... let me get this straight. The Dolphins did nothing wrong according to the NFL, but....



.... the NFL is majorly overhauling their concussion protocols as a result of the Tua injuries?

Right.

They're pinning it all on the independent neurologist, who was fired as he was apparently being hostile in the investigation

 

[StreetHawk]

Maybe no risk of malpractice ,so they might hire quacks.

Specialized field. But so time sensitive to assess a player.
Maybe no malpractice with the nfl but you take a hit to your reputation. Is it really worth it?

 

[TheAngryHank]

Specialized field. But so time sensitive to assess a player.
Maybe no malpractice with the nfl but you take a hit to your reputation. Is it really worth it?

Depends on your reputation lol

 

[Mr Fahrenheit]

So.... let me get this straight. The Dolphins did nothing wrong according to the NFL, but....



.... the NFL is majorly overhauling their concussion protocols as a result of the Tua injuries?

Right.

Unless the tweet changed thats not what it sounds like at all

 

[BB88]

So.... let me get this straight. The Dolphins did nothing wrong according to the NFL, but....



.... the NFL is majorly overhauling their concussion protocols as a result of the Tua injuries?

Right.

Yep.
Will be interesting to see how media takes this.


& I really really really hope Miami is carefull with Tua, 3rd concussion/returning too early could be devastating

 

[Babe Ruth]

They're pinning it all on the independent neurologist, who was fired as he was apparently being hostile in the investigation

Yeah.. this was pretty predictable. NFL's next statement will effectively be: even tho the individual neurologist (not the process) was at fault, the NFL will (nobly) upgrade their concussion protocols. I think they'll stop sending guys back in to the game, and start insisting they sit out the remainder. Then be evaluated throughout the week before they determine the damage. Which will be a more effective (but still imperfect) evaluation system. And I think the NFL's motivation are simply optics, and averting future (player) lawsuits.

All of these concussion protocols were implemented as a preemptive legal strategy, so it kills me when meathead fans express so much moral outrage.. Reality is, the NFL may not truly care as much about their players' health, as the obsessed, face-painted fans do. And even tho the league's safety protocol motives are self-serving, the concussion protocols will get better.

 

[John Price]

I get that the Tua situation has triggered a national discussion but I don't think our legislative bodies should get involved.

Congress turns its attention to the Tua Tagovailoa situation

A high-profile NFL controversy will attract the attention of a wide number of people.

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Like the sham hearing on Dan Snyder, nothing useful could possibly come out of this. Just let the league handle it. And I know what you're saying. Why should we trust the league, right? I'll tell you. Because the NFLPA and NFL already know the optics of the situation, and are scrambling to fix this ASAP. The doctor who cleared Tua has already been sacked. Let them handle it.

 

[Babe Ruth]

I get that the Tua situation has triggered a national discussion but I don't think our legislative bodies should involved..optics

I agree, getting Congress involved would be of no net benefit. I disagree that this is really a discussion. I view what is happening as a reactionary virtue-signal, not really people discussing different takes. The face-painted fans who are suddenly morally outraged about Tua's treatment didn't seem to mind when a pointless 17th game was added, increasing the potential for head injuries.. The concussion protocol has always been inadequate, but it was incorporated to head off future/potential lawsuits from brain damaged former players. I believe every thinking person recognized a lingering issue like concussions can't be accurately diagnosed in a few minutes with 50,000 people screaming. It's a violent game, people get hurt, this issue can't be fully fixed. It's stupid to me that people are so quickly mobilized to moral outrage over this. I do think the NFL will completely stop sending suspected concussed players back in. Which is wise, but this seems like an event that's being overblown by small-picture fans. No disrespect on my part toward Tua's suffering..

 

[StreetHawk]

They're pinning it all on the independent neurologist, who was fired as he was apparently being hostile in the investigation

I wonder how many of the remaining neurologists will want to return to the nfl next season. This is what the NFL will do to save face, pin it on you.

Is it really worth the risk of damage to your reputation? Maybe if you are retired from medicine you would do it but not if you are in your 40’-50’s. Who wants to get a consult from the doctor who cleared Tua?

 

[GKJ]

I wonder how many of the remaining neurologists will want to return to the nfl next season. This is what the NFL will do to save face, pin it on you.

Is it really worth the risk of damage to your reputation? Maybe if you are retired from medicine you would do it but not if you are in your 40’-50’s. Who wants to get a consult from the doctor who cleared Tua?

We all saw what happened, if the doctor doesn't want his reputation damaged, maybe don't f*** so bad

 

[Gecklund]

 

[Rodgerwilco]

I wonder how many of the remaining neurologists will want to return to the nfl next season. This is what the NFL will do to save face, pin it on you.

Is it really worth the risk of damage to your reputation? Maybe if you are retired from medicine you would do it but not if you are in your 40’-50’s. Who wants to get a consult from the doctor who cleared Tua?

On the flip side, it would almost certainly be a MASSIVE boost to a doctor's reputation if they were able to tout that they are the official consultant of an NFL team. Then you could argue it would be worth the risk. I'm sure there's some financial incentive too compared to normal practice.

The problem comes in when you f*** up this colossally.

 

[Babe Ruth]

This is what the NFL will do to save face, pin it on you.

Yup.. he's an obvious fall guy. The concussion protocol is extremely flawed & subjective. But this individual doc will basically be scapegoated. Concussion protocol is very brief diagnosis, with standards like 'vacant look'. Half the players have vacant looks even when they're not concussed.

But like I've mentioned earlier in the thread, the morally outraged, face-painted, foam-finger-waving fans (including I sense, some posters in this thread) are up in arms about this individual neurologist. I believe these fans are not looking at the big picture.. it's difficult to accurately diagnose a concussion in a few minutes, especially while surrounded by 50,000 screaming morons. This injury revealed a flaw in a deeply flawed system.. it's not really about the supposed error of one doctor. The NFL is shameless for scapegoating all this on to one guy.

But I do anticipate the NFL will completely overhaul their protocol.. which will be the true (sorry, not sorry) admission of their systemic ptotocol failure.

 

[StreetHawk]

On the flip side, it would almost certainly be a MASSIVE boost to a doctor's reputation if they were able to tout that they are the official consultant of an NFL team. Then you could argue it would be worth the risk. I'm sure there's some financial incentive too compared to normal practice.

The problem comes in when you f*** up this colossally.

If a doctor took a much more conservative approach and ruled out everyone who took a hard hit would the doctor be retained for the next season? Probably not.

 

[Rodgerwilco]

If a doctor took a much more conservative approach and ruled out everyone who took a hard hit would the doctor be retained for the next season? Probably not.

That’s a separate matter of whether a doctor will violate their Hippocratic oath or not.

My comment was mainly speaking on the idea of whether or not it’s worth the risk to reputation. It’s better to be quietly not retained after a season than be fired mid-season on this big of a stage for an idiotic move.

 

[Babe Ruth]

Did anyone else see.. Michael Irvin had a passionate (and my opinion) half-right take on this today.
Irvin said it's been wrong to blame the coach (I agree, tho I think the coach has received a lot less scapegoating than the terminated neurologist).
But the more valuable half of Irvin's take was his criticism of the fake moral outrage. He rightly points out that players have sustained brutal injuries for generations, and now suddenly the superfans & NFL brass are shedding crocodile tears over the handling of Tua. I liked what Irvin was saying.. I wish more sports media would lay out the reality that concussion protocol is a recent, preemptive legal strategy, crafted in response to brain damage litigation. It was always "for show". Real cautious, concussion protocol would require more than looking for vacant stares in a 5 minute window..

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Did anyone else see.. Michael Irvin had a passionate (and my opinion) half-right take on this today.
Irvin said it's been wrong to blame the coach (I agree, tho I think the coach has received a lot less scapegoating than the terminated neurologist).
But the more valuable half of Irvin's take was his criticism of the fake moral outrage. He rightly points out that players have sustained brutal injuries for generations, and now suddenly the superfans & NFL brass are shedding crocodile tears over the handling of Tua. I liked what Irvin was saying.. I wish more sports media would lay out the reality that concussion protocol is a recent, preemptive legal strategy, crafted in response to brain damage litigation. It was always "for show". Real cautious, concussion protocol would require more than looking for vacant stares in a 5 minute window..

I think part of the issue is just that everything is very much in your face now. Video clips are uploaded within 1 minute of major events happening (like both Tua injuries, in this instance) and we're seeing it all play out in real time. Coupled with our increased knowledge of concussions and CTE, I think that is why there's such an intense reaction.

Couldn't agree more with your last sentence though. The current protocol is definitely a legal shield and seems mostly performative.

 

[Blitzkrug]

The new policy should be as straightforward as this.

Go to the tent for protocol? You're out for a week to ten days (depending on next game). Simple as that.

We already seen a couple teams sit guys for the rest of the game once they went to the tent last Sunday. So here's hoping Tua getting his brains scrambled leads to positive change for the players