In one game, everyone was reminded of the story surrounding Tua Tagovailoa during the 2023 offseason.

Tagovailoa suffered multiple concussions during the 2022 season, including a scary one in a Thursday night game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He said he considered retiring after the season but ultimately decided to continue his football career. Tagovailoa’s long-term health was a topic of conversation leading up to the start of last season.

On Thursday evening he experienced another frightening moment.

Tagovailoa ran for a first down on a fourth-and-4 attempt, and with the Dolphins trailing 31-10, he failed to slide at 4:36 of the third quarter. Tagovailoa lowered his head and collided with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin. Tagovailoa remained down after the hard hit. He tried to get up but couldn’t at the time. He was able to avoid such hits last season, but Thursday’s hit knocked him out of the game.

Tagovailoa eventually got up, limped off the field and was taken to the locker room. Skylar Thompson replaced him. The Bills won 31-10.

The Dolphins ruled Tagovailoa out shortly afterward, reporting that he had suffered a concussion. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said a timetable for when Tagovailoa could return was “the last thing on my mind.” He was asked how he reacted to seeing Tagovailoa suffer another concussion.

“I was worried,” McDaniel said. “I was just worried about my friend. You never want to witness something like that.”

In July, Tagovailoa and the Dolphins signed a four-year, $212.4 million contract. Concerns about Tagovailoa and his health were not forgotten, but they had faded into the background after he played in every game last season and set career highs in yardage (4,624) and touchdowns (29). After Thursday night, all concerns about Tagovailoa and his health will be revived.

The Dolphins were far behind before Tua Tagovailoa was taken out of the game

The Bills have dominated the Dolphins since the signing of Josh Allen and that didn’t change Thursday night. Buffalo scored three touchdowns by James Cook, a defensive touchdown and ran dominantly in the second half. They are 2-0 to start the season.

Tagovailoa threw three interceptions, including a pick-6 that all but ended the game with 9:37 left in the third quarter. The loss came when Tagovailoa blindly threw toward the sideline under pressure on third down. Cornerback Ja’Marcus Ingram easily intercepted the ball and returned it for a touchdown, making the score 31-10.

Tagovailoa’s head injury made the night even worse for the Dolphins.

Thompson, who completed 8 of 14 passes for 80 yards, expressed concern for his teammate.

“I’ll tell you what, it makes me sick,” Thompson told reporters after the game. “It sucks.”

“I like Tua a lot and have built a great relationship with him. I care more about the person than the player, and everyone in the organization would say the same thing.”

Allen also found kind words and compassion for his quarterback colleague.

“You just can’t help but feel sorry for him,” Allen said on Amazon Prime Video’s postgame show. “He’s a great football player, but he’s an even greater human being. He’s one of the best people on the planet. I have a lot of love for him and I’m praying for him and his family.”

Damar Hamlin expresses his love while others wonder if Tua should call it a career

Hamlin, who himself had a traumatic experience on an NFL field, posted on X his best wishes for the man he attacked.

Previously, some former NFL stars had wondered if Tagovailoa should consider retirement. In the streaming broadcast, Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez said: “Tua’s future? I’m thinking about retirement here.”

Former Seahawks star cornerback Richard Sherman later said on the postgame show, “You always want to move on, but if I were him, I’d be on your side, Tony. I think you need to go home.”

Former Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant reiterated this on social media.

Tagovailoa said he considered retirement after suffering multiple concussions during the 2022 season. The concern for him after Thursday night is not just when he might return from that concussion, but also his long-term health.