In the aftermath of Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion, former Alabama football coach Nick Saban gives his thoughts.
It was a scary situation Thursday night when Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa went down with another concussion during the loss to the Buffalo Bills, 31-10. One person who has seen the highs and lows of Tagovailoa has been former Alabama football head coach Nick Saban when the star was at the university who spoke about the injury on The Pat McAfee show.
“Will talk to him today, I haven’t been able to get a hold of them yet,” Saban said. “I have a house down there in Florida, so we get together on occasion when I am there, played golf in the off season, and Tua is such a great competitor, but I think this has to be a medical decision. I mean, you have to let medical people who understand the circumstances around these injuries, these concussions, when you have multiple concussions, that’s not a good sign.
“And I think Tua and his family should listen to all the medical evidence to make sure that you’re not compromising your future health wise, by continuing to play football,” Saban continued. “I don’t think that’s something for me to speculate on or and I know a lot of people are doing it, and more power to them, but I think the family should not be influenced by that Tua should not be influenced by that. It should be all based on medical professionals.”
“Tua is such a great competitor and he’s a great person.. I think Tua and his family should listen to all the medical evidence and they shouldn’t be influenced by anybody else” ~ Nick Saban #PMSLive
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Alabama football’s Nick Saban speaks on Tua Tagovailoa’s injury
Tagovailoa has made countless memories with the Alabama football team where it all started when he came in for Jalen Hurts late in the game at the 2018 national championship game and threw the game-winning touchdown. Besides the legendary moments, Saban has also seen the multiple injuries Tagovailoa dealt with as he saw a similarity in Thursday night’s situation with others in the past.
“This guy is a great competitor, and one thing that he does not know how to do is give up on a play,” Saban said. “I mean, even when he hurt his hip at Alabama, there was nowhere to go for the ball, nowhere…There’s nobody to throw it to, and he’s still trying to make a play and takes a hit that he doesn’t need to take and I hated that he got hurt…But, and it’s the same thing with the play last night. You know, he could have slid. He had a first down, but he’s a competitive, tough minded guy that’s trying to set the tone for his team, and ends up getting injured because of it.”
“You ask Tua how he’s doing & he’s gonna say I’m doing great and thanks for asking.. One thing he doesn’t know how to do is give up on a play.. He’s a competitive, tough minded guy that’s trying to set the tone for his team.. His teammates love him & I’ve never seen him ever…
“Tua is such a great competitor and he’s a great person.. I think Tua and his family should listen to all the medical evidence and they shouldn’t be influenced by anybody else” ~ Nick Saban #PMSLive
Saban would also go into how he originally recruited Tagovailoa and how his family and himself were filled with tradition and compassion right from the start. There is no doubt that Saban is saddened by what happened and is realistic when he says that the Tagovailoa himself should consider the advice given by medical professionals.
Time will tell in what happens, but the Crimson Tide memories with Tagovailoa and Saban will never be forgotten as the program is in a new era under Kalen DeBoer.
