Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce believes Tua Tagovailoa should retire after the Miami Dolphins quarterback sustained another concussion in Week 2.
“He’s going to live longer than he’s going to play football,” Pierce said Friday, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. “Take care of your family.”
Pierce added: “It’s not worth it. I haven’t witnessed anything like I’ve seen that’s happened to him three times. Scary. You can see right away the players’ faces on the field.”
Tagovailoa left the Dolphins’ loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday in the third quarter and didn’t return. He also battled two concussions during the 2022 season and later said he considered ending his NFL career as a result.
The 26-year-old played a full season for the first time in 2023, leading the NFL with 4,624 passing yards and setting a career high with 29 touchdown passes. Tagovailoa signed a four-year, $212.4-million extension in July.
The signal-caller’s new deal includes $167 million guaranteed for injury, and $43 million of that amount has already been paid, according to Spotrac. If Tagovailoa is medically forced into retirement, he can collect the $124 million left on the contract. However, if he’s cleared to return but opts to retire, he’d forego the remaining guaranteed amount, barring a settlement.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Friday that he’s prioritizing Tagovailoa’s health and that questioning the passer’s future “is not in the best interest for him.”
With Tagovailoa sidelined, Miami will start Skylar Thompson at quarterback. McDaniel also said the team plans to add depth at the position.
The Dolphins host the Raiders in Week 11.
