For days, the NFL told us our eyes were lying to us when it came to the health of Tua Tagovailoa’s head.
Regardless of the footage showing Tagovailoa’s helmet slamming against the turf against the Buffalo Bills last Sunday in Miami, or his knees giving out while he collapsed back onto the ground, or teammates supporting the Dolphins quarterback in spite of his buckling legs, the message was unified: Concussion protocols were followed and Tagovailoa passed. The league office was confident in that message within hours of Miami’s win over Buffalo, and again Wednesday, when vice president of communications Jeff Miller reiterated it.