The N Players Association has exercised its right to remove the independentFL expert who was involved in the decision to clear Miami Dolphin quarterback Tua Tagovailoa to return to a game last Sunday after being evaluated for a head injury, according to person familiar with the matter.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
The NFLPA declined to comment on the move Saturday, citing its ongoing joint investigation with the NFL into the issue of whether the concussion protocols were followed properly in the case. Union officials had said Friday they were focused on the medical judgments made in the matter, more so than the overall process and whether the protocols were followed as written.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The league and union oversee the protocols in tandem, and either side can choose to end the participation of any of the independent doctors \u2014 called unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants, or UNCs \u2014 involved in the concussion-evaluation process for players. The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment Saturday on the NFLPA’s decision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Facing criticism, Dolphins and NFL defend decisions on Tua Tagovailoa<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Tagovailoa is in the NFL’s concussion protocols after suffering a head injury during Thursday night’s game at Cincinnati. He struck the back of his head on the turf on a first-half sack. Tagovailoa was taken from the field on a stretcher and transported by ambulance to a hospital. He was diagnosed with a concussion, according to the Dolphins. Tagovailoa was released that night from the University of Cincinnati Medical Center and accompanied by the team on its flight back to Miami. He underwent further tests Friday.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n He played in Thursday’s game four days after being cleared by team physician and the UNC, as required by the protocols, to return to a game Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in Miami Gardens, Fla. The UNC involved in the decision has not been publicly identified.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The joint investigation is ongoing and the doctors involved were interviewed, according to a person familiar with the case. The NFLPA believes that mistakes in judgment were made, according to that person.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n NFL, NFLPA to review if concussion protocols followed with Tua Tagovailoa<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cUntil we have an objective and validated method of diagnosing brain injury, we have to do everything possible, including amending the protocols, to further reduce the potential of human error,\u201d former Cleveland Browns center JC Tretter, the NFLPA president, said in a statement<\/a>. \u201cA failure in medical judgement is a failure of the protocols when it comes to the well being of our players.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n