Chris Nowinski, a former wrestler and neuroscientist, asserts that Tua Tagovailoa sustained a traumatic brain injury.

Over the past 24 months, Tua Tagovailoa, the Miami Dolphins quarterback, has faced a succession of concussions.

In the first "Thursday Night Football" game of the season, the latest head injury occurred when Tagovailoa collided with Bills safety Damar Hamlin in the second half, resulting in the third confirmed concussion the quarterback has been diagnosed with since he entered the NFL.

The health scare on Thursday reignited discussions about whether the 26-year-old quarterback should retire from football. Neuroscientist Chris Nowinski, a former professional wrestler and Harvard football player, offered his insights on Tagovailoa's predicament.

The Dolphins signal caller suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the contact during the play on Thursday, according to Nowinski.

"No question, Tua suffered a traumatic brain injury on this play, as Nowinski wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. His right arm shows the "fencing posture," indicating loss of consciousness, and is on the severe end of the #concussion spectrum. He is done for the night and must miss the next game."

Since leaving the WWE in 2003, Nowinski has become a prominent voice for concussion awareness.

He also holds a Ph.D. in Behavioral Neuroscience from Boston University.

Former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant advised Tagovailoa to retire from the NFL due to his "health concerns" and "longevity."

Instead of urging Tagovailoa to end his football career immediately, Nowinski emphasized the significance of the quarterback's recovery from his recent head injury.

"Having too many concussions can lead to chronic symptoms and mental health disorders, but there is no magic number of concussions to require retirement," he said. "It all depends on how he recovers from this one, and he's in a very tough spot."

If a doctor advised Tagovailoa to quit, Nowinski highlighted the potential predicament they could face.

"Doctors who advise star athletes to retire without evidence of symptoms lasting over a year, brain bleeds, or gross MRI changes can be blacklisted. Many doctors may advise Tua to retire based solely on his frequent concussions. Tua may not see those doctors."

In the third quarter of Thursday's game, Tagovailoa was running with the football and lowered his shoulder instead of sliding as Hamlin approached. He stayed on the turf for a few minutes as medical personnel attended to him before eventually being able to walk to the Dolphins' sideline.

While the Dolphins plan to add another quarterback, their head coach, Mike McDaniel, emphasized that Tagovailoa's health is their top priority.

Miami's game against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 22 will likely see backup quarterback Skylar Thompson take on the starting role.

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