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Former NFL Linebacker, Who Left Football at 28, Expresses His Tua Tagovailoa Concern Months After Heart-Wrenching Concussion

Published 06/26/2023, 12:27 PM EDT

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Injuries are a very common part of football. With such a wildly contact sport, it is almost impossible for someone to not get injured during the course of play. However, one of the rarest positions to get severely injured during gameplay is the quarterback. Intriguingly, the previous season proved to be an exception. Miami Dolphins QB, Tua Tagovailoa ended up with multiple serious injuries that resulted in serious head trauma. His injuries certainly led to him reevaluating his decision to continue football. Unfortunately, he is not the only one who has had second thoughts about the sport. In fact, there is a former linebacker from the league who decidedly left the sport in pursuing the safety of his fellow players.

Former NFL linebacker, Luke Kuechly took retirement from the sport quite early. However, during his retirement, he has been focused on raising awareness for a very specific kind of injury that most commonly occurs in football.

Former NFL player with continued resolve for his peers’ safety

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While Kuechly gave up football a while ago, he still maintains his ties to the sport. The linebacker went on to quit the sport while he was in his prime, leading the defense of the Carolina Panthers. However, due to at least three serious concussions, he retired at the age of 28. Per the NY Times, he had some obvious concerns about the rate of injuries as an NFL player. In spite of retiring, Kuechly continued to stay close to the game, working in the capacity of scouting to ensure the safety of his peers.

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Kuechly continued to work as a scout for the Panthers in 2020. However, no he continues to coach 14-year-olds with his former teammate, Greg Olsen. The ex-linebacker has repeatedly mentioned that he is more interested in ensuring the safety of his students as well as members of the league. He also went on to comment on the Tagovailoa incident and remarked about the QB’s future. He said, “I want Tua to play as long as Tua wants to, and I want him to play as safe as he can.” Admittedly, the quarterback’s incidents were unexpected for the position he plays.

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The scary injuries of Tua Tagovailoa

Tagovailoa has obviously had a very trying season in 2022. As a quarterback, no one expected Tua to suffer the kind of injuries he did. However, he was faced with a brutal concussion not just once, but twice this season. He was the victim of some brutal sacks from the Bengals’ defense. To make matters worse, there were some serious questions raised over the concussion protocol applied by the Dolphins’ staff after Tua was placed on it. His injuries were such that his status for the whole season was under question. Furthermore, the QB had even briefly considered stepping away from the game for good.

USA Today via Reuters

All in all, the whole ordeal regarding the QB as well as his multiple concussion have sent some shockwaves across the league. It only remains to be seen how the rules and protocols surrounding concussions will change in the upcoming season, given the severity of the situation that occurred last year.

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Written by:

Aditya Rajput

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Aditya Rajput is a prime-time NFL writer at EssentiallySports, bringing his unique perspective to the world of football. With a Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Advertising from a prestigious university, Rajput uses his expertise in human behavior and decision-making to provide insightful analysis of the motivations and strategies of NFL athletes. Rajput is a passionate sports enthusiast who is particularly drawn to the legacy of Tom Brady, whom he considers to be the greatest quarterback in history.
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Edited by:

Abigail Kevichusa