Something needs to change! In week three of the NFL regular season Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion after being hit after the play. When the team physician and medical staff went to check him out he was immediately taken off the field into the locker room.    

   Many fans and announcers didn’t think Tua would come back out. But, after halftime Tagovailoa was back under center playing the rest of the game. Concussions are no joke. 

   A concussion by definition is “a brain injury caused by a blow to the head or a violent shaking of the head and body.” a concussion occurs from a mild blow to the head, either with or without loss of consciousness and can lead to temporary cognitive symptoms.

   Tua showed every symptom of having a concussion. He was picked up by some offensive linemen and when he was running to the huddle he took three steps and collapsed.

   The very next week Tagovailoa suited up for week four against the Buffalo Bills. In the second quarter of the game Tua was sacked and his head bounced off the turf causing him to suffer a second concussion. 

   The second one was worse than the first because his brain had already suffered a concussion a week prior. After that game the NFLPA (National Football League players association) announced that they will be reforming the concussion protocol used for injured players. 

   Many people in the sports world such as Steven A. Smith stated in an interview that someone should be fired. That very same day the physician that cleared Tua to play in week three and four was fired. Many reforms to concussion protocols have been put in effect immediately after week four as a result of Tua’s injuries. 

   Many physicians and neurologists have stated the protocols have needed to be changed for years now because these protocols will transfer to the youth. Since it would do this a child’s brain isn’t fully developed so a concussion can be more serious than a concussion suffered from a NFL player. 

   With the protocols now children could get seriously hurt or worse. Despite the recent carelessness that resulted in Tua getting back to back concussions, a man being fired, and backlash from fans, this has happened again. Something needs to change