“Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire.” Despite the concussion chatter, the Dolphins’ QB ain’t tossing his cleats aside. But hold up—this gets juicier. NFL insider Ian Rapoport just dropped some serious news about Tua Tagovailoa’s retirement plans, and let’s just say, his next move’s far from clear-cut. 

Rapoport tweeted: “Tua Tagovailoa and his doctors will be making the decision about his playing, his health. They will be driving the process. My understanding is that Tua Tagovailoa has no plans to retire. No plans to retire. As far as when that goes, we simply do not know. Every concussion is different. The way each player responds to the concussion is different…Tua will be back when he is healthy enough to play and when he and his doctors decide that.” The Phins’ QB’s already back to working with concussion specialists, just like he did back in 2022. No set timeline for his return, but Tagovailoa’s locked in on getting back to 100% before stepping on-field. His doctors will call the shots, but the plan’s simple: wait until he’s full ready to ball out again. 

“That said, he’s already begun the process of seeing concussion specialists, as he did in 2022. The goal is to get on the field when he’s ready. That’s one reason why Mike McDaniel did not put a timeline on him. So, as far as football goes, we won’t be surprised if he misses a few games, as Mike McDaniel said. Skyler Thompson, the starting quarterback, is going forward,” Rapoport added. So yeah, expect to see Skyler Thompson holding it down for now, but Tagovailoa’s got his sights set on a comeback.

The Crimson Tide standout took another hard hit—his third diagnosed concussion in 24 months. Thursday night’s loss to the Buffs (31-10) was a massive blow—not just on the scoreline, but on Tagovailoa’s health. In the third quarter, the Pro Bowl champ made a gutsy run, but instead of sliding like most QBs, he went for it, lowering his shoulder into Damar Hamlin. Big mistake. The second he hit the ground, players from both teams started signaling for medical help—a classic sign something serious was up. Tagovailoa got up after a few minutes, smiled at the crowd, and walked off, but that smile didn’t fool anyone. Miami didn’t waste time ruling him out.

Now, the 26-year-old’s back in concussion protocol, and it’s serious. No one knows when he’ll return—or if he even should. Each concussion’s different, and he’s been through three in under two years. HC Mike McDaniel already announced they’ll be bringing in Skylar Thompson as the starting QB. 

The real question everyone’s asking now—how much longer can Tagovailoa keep playing? NFL veterans are already throwing some ‘life advice’ his way, telling him to think long-term. After all, this isn’t just about getting back on-field, it’s about life after the game. 

NFL veterans call for Tua Tagovailoa’s retirement 

“Tua has had entirely way too many concussions. He needs to retire.” That’s former Cowboy Dez Bryant saying what’s on a lot of minds after Tua Tagovailoa’s latest scare. Bryant was blunt—he wants the NFL to prioritize Tagovailoa’s health. Even Patrick Mahomes prayed for the Phins’ QB, expressing “🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽.”

But that’s not all. NFL vets had some strong advice too. Three-time Super Bowl champ Shannon Sharpe didn’t hold back, tweeting, “Tua, just slide bro,” and adding, “I H8 saying this… His concussions are getting worse and worse.” Sharpe’s got a point. In 2022, the Maxwell and Walter camp-award winner had two concussions in four days, one of which left him unconscious. 

Even the QB’s mom tried convincing him to consider retirement that season. But instead, he took up jiu-jitsu, learning how to take hits without smashing his head on the ground. The question now: Is that enough? Tua Tagovailoa’s third concussion has us on edge, waiting for his next move.