Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa taken to hospital with head and neck injuries

CINCINNATI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken to a local hospital with head and neck injuries suffered on a second-quarter sack in Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tagovailoa hit the back of his head on the ground when he was sacked by Bengals nose tackle Josh Tupou, and his arms appeared to seize up almost immediately. He remained on the field for roughly 10 minutes before he was loaded onto a stretcher and taken away.

The Dolphins said shortly before halftime that he was conscious and had movement in all his extremities at the hospital, the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. After the game, they said Tagovailoa was expected to be released from the hospital Thursday night and travel back to Miami with the team.

Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said Tagovailoa called for him when he went down.

«I could tell it wasn't the same guy that I was used to seeing,» McDaniel said. «It was a scary moment. He was evaluated for a concussion and he's in the concussion protocol.»

The entire Dolphins team gathered at midfield as he was taken off, and the crowd chanted, «Tua! Tua!»

In Sunday's win over the Buffalo Bills, Tagovailoa underwent concussion evaluations at halftime after he hit his head on the ground and then stumbled while trying to return to the huddle. The team initially listed him as questionable to return with a head injury but later said it was a back injury that caused him to stumble. Tagovailoa said later in the week that he passed every evaluation he took before ultimately returning to the game.

The NFL Players Association requested a review of the NFL's concussion protocols following Tagovailoa's quick return to the game.

«Player health and safety is at the core of the