NFL News
Dolphins’ loss to Bengals overshadowed by Tua Tagovailoa’s hospitalization
Sep
Joe Burrow tossed a late two-yard touchdown pass to Hayden Hurst to seal a 27-15 win for the Cincinnati Bengals over Miami in a Thursday game marred by the horrific sight of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa being taken off on a stretcher.
Tagovailoa was chased down and thrown to the turf by Cincinnati’s Josh Tupou in the first half. He remained down for more than seven minutes before being taken to a hospital with reported head and neck injuries. The Dolphins later said they expected him to be discharged and fly home with his team.
The 24-year-old Tagovailoa was suffering from a sore back and was listed as questionable for most of the week ahead of the game.
He briefly left Sunday’s 21-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills after appearing to be disoriented by what the team originally said was a head injury after taking a hard hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano late in the first half. He missed just three snaps and returned after halftime, a decision that prompted a joint review by the NFL and National Football League Players Association of what went into the decision to allow him to return to the game.
The team and Tagovailoa said after the game the quarterback had a back injury that caused his awkward stumble and fall after he was slammed into the turf in the second quarter. The team said on Monday that Tagovailoa was not in concussion protocol.
Tagovailoa said he “hyper-extended” his back on Sunday after getting his legs caught under another player on a quarterback sneak. Some criticized the decision to play Tagovailoa so soon after his injuries in Sunday’s game.
Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe tweeted: “That’s a serious injury. Tua shouldn’t have been out there with Sunday Thursday turn around. Sometimes players need protecting from themselves. Dolphins failed Tua.”
After Thursday’s game Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel defended the decision to play Tagovailoa, and said the quarterback had passed a number of checks by independent specialists before playing against the Bengals.
“I don’t think an injury from last week made him fall a certain way this week,” said McDaniel. “I have absolutely zero patience for, or ever would I, put a player in harm’s way. That’s not what I’m about at all.”
Vonn Bell’s interception of Miami backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater – the safety’s second pick of the night – with three minutes left in the game set up the Bengals’ final drive. Evan McPherson also kicked two fourth-quarter field goals – including a 57-yarder.
Burrow was 20 for 31 for 287 yards and two touchdowns as the Bengals won their second game in five days after dropping the first of the season. Tee Higgins caught seven passes for 124 yards and a TD. Tagovailoa was 8 for 14 for 110 yards and an interception before his injury. Bridgewater finished 14 for 23 for 193 yards, a touchdown and an interception in relief.
