“Tua has had entirely way too many concussions … He need to retire for his longevity health concerns,” tweeted former Oklahoma State Cowboys wide-receiver Dez Bryant after Tagovailoa faced his fourth documented concussion in 24 months and third since joining the NFL.

The heartbreaking incident occurred in the third quarter during the Miami Dolphins’ 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night. The QB collided head-first with Bills’ safety Damar Hamlin after scrambling six yards on a fourth-down run. Immediately after, players from both teams called for medical attention as the player started exhibiting signs of a traumatic brain injury. As he got up and smiled before departing to the locker room, his team soon announced the player would not be returning to the game.

Before his exit, the $212 million QB struggled throughout the game with a touchdown with three interceptions, one of which was a pick-six in the third quarter. However, amid this storm of speculation and concern, a fleeting Instagram post from his wife, Annah Gore, spoke volumes.

As the player was put on NFL’s concussion protocol, bringing in a sense of normalcy was Gore. Four hands, clinking glasses, a nightclub backdrop. “Disney on Ice: mom’s version,” read the caption on Annah’s now-deleted Instagram story. For her, this isn’t her first rodeo with Tua’s health scares. The couple, who tied the knot in a hush-hush ceremony in July 2022, have weathered storms before.

Tua’s concussion history reads like a horror novel. The 26-year-old suffered his first NFL concussion in the 2022 season against the Cincinnati Bengals on “Thursday Night Football” in Week 4. Just four days prior in a match against the Bills, he had reportedly suffered a head injury that was later changed to a back ailment. His second concussion came that same year in Week 16 against the Green Bay Packers, leading him to miss two games, including one playoff match.

But there’s more as ESPN unearthed a previously unknown concussion from 2019—his final year at Alabama—where he also suffered a broken nose, a hip dislocation and fracture of the hip socket in the same play, ending his college career.

As for his recent injury, people seem more concerned about him as a person than as a player. The team’s head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters on Friday morning: “First and foremost, I’m not assessing the injury through the lens of, ‘Alright, so what does this mean for him playing?’ Really, for me, I know the facts are that it’s important that he gets healthy day by day, and in that, the best thing I can do is not try to assess what this even means from a football standpoint.”

Neuroscientist Chris Nowinski also noted the severity: “His right arm shows the ‘fencing posture’ indicating loss of consciousness & is on the severe end on the #concussion spectrum.” But as players continue to battle with their physical safety, the brunt of such trauma ultimately falls on the family. In the locker room, away from the cameras and the speculation, it was Annah and their children who greeted him—a stark reminder of the family behind the player.

The NFL’s silent heroes

While Tua’s future in football hangs in the balance, the NFL community has rallied around him. Josh Allen’s words resonate: “He is a great football player, but he is an even greater human being. He’s one of the best human beings on the planet.” Even Damar Hamlin, the player involved in Tua’s latest concussion, offered heartfelt support: “My love and prayers with @Tua fasho.. Sending you strength and healing for a speedy recovery. 🙏🏾 much love broski.”

But amidst the outpouring of support from players and coaches, it’s the silent strength of Annah Gore that stands out. The 25-year-old businesswoman, known for guarding her privacy, has been thrust into a spotlight she never sought. Her deleted Instagram post – a night out with friends – speaks volumes about the tightrope walk of being an NFL wife.

As calls for Tua’s retirement grow louder, with former players like Shannon Sharpe and Dez Bryant voicing concerns, the decision ultimately rests with Tua and his family. Nick Saban, Tua’s former coach at Alabama, didn’t mince words on the Pat McAfee show yesterday: “I think Tua and his family and everyone else should really listen to all the medical evidence to make sure that you’re not compromising your future health-wise by continuing to play football.”

Antonio Pierce, head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, put it bluntly: “Scary. You could see right away; the players’ faces on the field. You could see the sense of urgency from everybody to get Tua help. I just think at some point, he’s going to live longer than he’s going to play football. Take care of your family.”

In the end, as the football world debates Tua’s future, Annah Gore’s deleted post reminds us of a simple truth: life goes on. Whether it’s a night out with friends or a family meeting in a locker room after a brutal hit, the Tagovailoas are navigating this crisis together.