The retirement of Tua Tagovailoa could result in a financial loss of $124 million for the Dolphins, as their general manager had relied on jiujitsu to treat his concussions.

The future of Tua Tagovailoa in the NFL is being widely discussed following his third concussion in 24 months and fourth overall on Thursday night.

After being hit by Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin, Tagovailoa collapsed to the turf in pain and displayed indications of a traumatic brain injury, according to several experts. In the 2022 season, Tagovailoa suffered two brain injuries within a month.

He later admitted he consulted with his family about whether he should continue playing football after that. Nevertheless, he returned.

His recent injury has prompted calls from pro sports peers, former NFL players, media pundits, and concerned fans and observers to leave the game.

Tagovailoa will undergo NFL concussion protocols and may be cleared to return to the field by the team's trainers and doctors. However, he must decide whether to continue playing. Alternatively, doctors may not clear him to return.

If Tagovailoa fails to pass concussion protocols for a third time in his NFL career, he may have to retire, which would require the Dolphins to pay out a significant portion of his $212.4 million contract.

The contract signed by Dolphins general manager Chris Grier in July includes $167 million in guarantees. Out of this amount, Tagovailoa has already earned $43 million, and if he is forced to retire due to medical reasons, he is entitled to receive the remaining $124 million.

If he is cleared to return but decides to retire, he would lose the guaranteed money. The team would need to negotiate a settlement.

Despite his three previous concussions and admission of considering retirement in the prior offseason, Grier stated during a team press conference on Feb. 28 that he was not concerned about the quarterback's concussion history.

Grier was questioned about whether Tagovailoa's previous concussions influenced the team's evaluation of its contract extension offer while discussing it months before it was finalized.

"Grier responded with a firm "No." In his view, all players face unique challenges, including the numerous quarterback injuries that have occurred this season. He pointed out that other talented players have also suffered season-ending injuries."

The quarterback's concussion concerns were addressed by Grier through offseason jiujitsu training.

Tua's goal during the offseason was to prove his ability to maintain good health. He spent time learning how to fall safely using jiujitsu and other techniques, which ultimately paid off for him.

The team, including head coach Mike McDaniel, was comfortable with jiujitsu being the solution to preventing their quarterback's concussions.

McDaniel stated during a team press conference on Feb. 28 that we had multiple ideas, some of which I won't disclose because they were not as excellent as that one. We were prepared to go to any extent.

"Although he was initially hesitant, his investment in the training and the trainer's enthusiasm for him have made us feel confident that this is the best way to prepare him for things he hasn't been able to prepare for before. We're working on a follow-through throwing motion, and he's fully committed, attacking it with enthusiasm."

In the 2023 offseason, Tagovailoa began training with jiujitsu expert Ricardo Liborio to improve his control over his body during falls to the ground and prevent his head from hitting the turf too hard.

Jiujitsu is a martial art that emphasizes self-defense techniques against individual opponents. Although it originated in Brazil and was initially a modified version of Japanese judo, it does not address being tackled by a group of NFL players.

During a solo tackle by the 200-pound Hamlin, Tagovailoa's injury occurred when he lunged forward to gain yards and his head collided with Hamlin's body. Despite his jiujitsu training, it was not a factor in the injury.

The "fencing response" is a neurological sign of head trauma, as seen in Tagovailoa's frozen arms.

Now, Tagovailoa has 10 days to clear the league's concussion protocol.

If Tagovailoa fails to adhere to protocol within the next 10 days, the team may be compelled to place him on injured reserve, resulting in his absence for at least four games. This could prompt the front office to begin preparing for a future without its star quarterback and potentially without the $124 million attached to him.

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