Quarterback for the Miami Dolphins Your Tagovailoa has suffered a series of concussions over the past 24 months.

The latest head injury occurred during the Dolphins’ 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on the first “Thursday Night Football” game of the season. Tagovailoa collided with Bills safety Damar Hamlin in the second half, resulting in the third confirmed concussion the quarterback has suffered since entering the NFL.

Thursday’s health crisis reignited debate over whether the 26-year-old quarterback should step away from football.

Neuroscientist Chris Nowinski, a former professional wrestler who also played American football at Harvard, offered his opinion on Tagovailoa’s situation.

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Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins before a game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on September 12, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

“Tua suffered a traumatic brain injury on this play, that’s for sure,” Nowinski wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “His right arm is in a ‘fencing position’ indicative of loss of consciousness and is on the severe end of the #concussion spectrum. He is out for tonight and will miss the next game.”

DOLPHINS’ TUA TAGOVAILOA GETS CALLED TO QUIT NFL AFTER LATEST CONCUSSION: ‘IT’S NOT WORTH IT’

Nowinski last competed in WWE in 2003 under the name Chris Harvard. Since retiring from professional competition, Nowinski has become one of the more prominent voices for concussion awareness.

He also holds a doctorate in behavioral neuroscience from Boston University.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) receives an assist on the field during the second half of a game against the Buffalo Bills on Thursday, September 12, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Elsewhere, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant called for Tagovailoa to retire from the NFL, citing “his longevity” and “health issues.”

Other former players also joined the conversation, including three-time Super Bowl winner Shannon Sharpe.

“I really hope Tua is okay but he needs to seriously consider retiring. I can’t believe I’m saying this. His concussions are getting worse and he’s a young man with his whole life ahead of him,” Sharpe wrote in a social media post.

Nowinski held back from asking Tagovailoa to end his football career, instead emphasizing the importance of the quarterback’s recovery from his most recent head injury.

“There’s no magic number of concussions that will put him out of the game,” he said. “It all depends on how he recovers from them, but too many concussions can lead to chronic symptoms and mental health issues. He’s in a very tough spot.”

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) walks off the field with the training staff after a suspected injury during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., Sept. 12, 2024. (Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images)

Nowinski also pointed out the difficult situation a doctor could find himself in if he advised Tagovailoa to stop.

“Here’s a hard truth,” Nowinski said. “Doctors who advise star athletes to retire — in the absence of symptoms lasting more than a year, brain hemorrhages or gross MRI changes — can find themselves on the blacklist. Many doctors might advise Tua to retire based on his frequent concussions alone. Tua may not visit those doctors.”

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Tagovailoa ran with the ball in search of a first down in the third quarter of Thursday’s game and dropped his shoulder instead of sliding as Hamlin approached. The 26-year-old quarterback remained on the turf for several minutes as medical personnel treated him. Tagovailoa was eventually able to walk to the Dolphins’ sideline.

The Dolphins plan to add another quarterback to their roster while Tagovailoa deals with his latest concussion. However, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel made it clear that Tagovailoa’s health was everyone’s primary focus.

Backup quarterback Skylar Thompson will likely take the starting role for Miami’s game against the Seattle Seahawks September 22nd.

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