A safe estimate of Tua Tagovailoa’s career earnings to date is in the range of $75 million, including $42 million already this year. Two months ago, the Miami Dolphins signed him to a four-year $212 million contract extension – one of the richest contracts in NFL history (although since surpassed, most recently by Dak Prescott of the Dallas Cowboys), of which $167 million is “guaranteed” (with some caveats such as if he is “cleared to play” but chooses to retire, he forfeits the remainder of the contract). If he really is the wholesome family man he is purported to be, he surely still has plenty of that $75 million he’s earned. He probably doesn’t drive a Dodge Caravan but probably not a $350,000 McLaren 720 LS Coupe either, like his teammate Tyreek Hill does. He is said to be an evangelical Christian, dedicated to his wife and two children, popular with his teammates and is also known as good and decent person.
Tua suffered his third “official” NFL concussion (he had a
fourth while playing college for Alabama) in Thursday’s loss to the Bills, as he
extended his body to gain an extra yard or two after easily gaining a first
down as the Dolphins tried to chip away at a 21-point deficit. His helmet
collided with Damar Hamlin’s knee in a moderately innocent looking play but he
was clearly injured in the process. I figured it was a neck stinger or a perhaps
vertebra issue as the impact clearly cranked his head to his left. He was slow
to stand and looked foggy as he made his way not to the blue tent but directly to
the locker room where he was diagnosed and ruled out of the remainder of the
game very quickly. Although he played all of last season without a head injury
(as far as we know), in 2022, he was concussed officially twice but most
observers agree that there was also a third one which was, at best not properly
diagnosed and, at worst covered up by medical staff. One of them was severe
enough that he was unable to stand afterward. Four concussions in a two-year
span. I’d say that if he wants to be a functioning father for his children and
have a chance at a long and healthy life (it may be too late already), he
should retire from football. Will he? Dolphins fans may understandably feel
conflicted about this because second-stringer Skylar Thompson, who finished the
game under centre for the Dolphins, looked like he was barely qualified to play
at the junior college level.
I read what seemed like a credible account of the bodycam
video from the Miami police officer who “interacted” with Tyreek Hill before
the Dolphins week one game. Rather than showing any deference or cooperation to
the officer, Hill insisted on keeping his tinted window closed after lowering
it a couple of inches to hand over his licence and registration. When the officer
tapped on the window to advise him to keep it rolled down, Hill could be heard
saying several times “don’t tap on my window like that” and “just write up the
ticket and let me go”. The officer
finally had enough of Hill’s insubordination and ordered him from the car and
onto the ground where bystanders filmed the rest of the encounter. Another
approach Hill could have taken, it seems to me, would have been to roll the
window fully down and say “Hello officer, I’m Tyreek Hill. I’m on my way to the
stadium for today’s season opener and I was going over the game plan in my mind
and I guess I lost track of how fast I was going. Sorry about that. Can I
autograph something for you?” This approach or one along those lines, I
suggest, would likely have resulted in no ticket, no take-down and no story.
But Hill chose to be a jerk about it and then later called for the officer to
be fired. Apparently, this officer has a checkered history on the job but Hill has
had more than his own share of unsavoury legal troubles related to domestic violence.
Maybe he should try to hand around more with Tua Tagovailoa.
This past week, I finally received an invitation to the
Bills Stadium Experience at a suburban mall in northeast Buffalo where the goal
(from the team’s perspective) is to present to me a virtual overview of the new
stadium (they ask that no photos be taken), help me select my new seats and try
to close the deal on my purchase of two seat licences. It sort of feels like I’m
going to hear a sales pitch for a time-share but we’ll see. I do know the cost
of the licences but I won’t disclose it here. I’ve been asked to set aside 90
minutes of my time for this appointment. Probably more if I hesitate to subscribe.
I’ve never been to Williamsville but I hear its beautiful this time of year.
Yesterday I watched parts of the Jets v. Titans game, hoping
for a Titans win which did not happen. Also saw a lot of the Chiefs v. Bengals
game, hoping for a Bengals win which also did not happen.
The Bills are now 2-0 and enjoying a 12 day break after
Thursday’s strong performance in Miami. Injuries continue to pile up on the
defensive side with Terrel Bernard now out for about four weeks with a pectoral
strain – better than a tear which ended Daquan Jones’ season last year.
Up next is a Monday Night home game against the Jacksonville
Jaguars who, at 0-2, will be desperate to salvage their playoff prospects.
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