Bills beat Dolphins, Tua Tagovailoa suffers concussion, Time for him to walk away? | NFL | THE HERD

I would probably call it a career. I would probably call it a wrap if tua was my son. My son was playing football, I would suggest calling it a wrap. But I'm not a pro athlete. They are hyper competitive. They fight to the end. And in team sports, they often feel a guilt to teammates and coaches in letting them down. It is real. It's one of the many reasons. Pro athletes are admirable and redeemable. They fight. They play through pain. They don't want to let teammates down. They cry when they do. Because I think two is probably going to talk himself into playing again, and I'm not sure he should. He's a great guy, very thoughtful, and he's a wonderful teammate. He has an incredible reputation in the league and I think he'll talk himself into playing. I think you'll have doubts. Reportedly a member of his family's, suggests that it's time to quit. I think I would, but that's not the way pro athletes are. Andrew luck was rare that in his 20s in his prime, he walked away. But it's very hard for pro athletes to do that. I mean, think about it. Most of us go to college and we start thinking about our careers. But the journey for a professional athlete often starts when they're six, seven, eight years old. People sacrifice for them. It's their identity. It's a lifestyle. Attaway has been a quarterback back in Hawaii for I mean, probably started at 6 or 7 years old and what, 26 years old now? Something like that. It's a big part of him. I mean, he's got a life beyond that, but it's a big part for pro athletes and it's a real palpable thing. They feel guilt. They hurry themselves back to play. I've talked to NFL athletes. I had dinner last night with an NFL executive and he said, you know, we have to sometimes tell players you can't play this week. You are too hurt. You have to protect them. They fight to the finish. It's not what I do. It's not maybe what you do, but it's what they do. Should the NFL consider somewhat of an amnesty clause to protect the players from themselves? Again, to his decision, it's his, but my guess he'll talk himself into playing. He'll say things like, you know, I'll be smarter next time. I, I could have avoided that. Hey, I didn't get hurt last season. And maybe all those are true, but being a pro athlete is almost addictive. It's a wonderful life. It can be a tough life. It can be a physically punishing life. But just to ask to on his own to step down and and retire all the coaches, all the teammates. There's a bond in pro sports that's hard to explain. A lot of teams, there's limitations on when guys like me are even allowed in the locker room. And truthfully, I never like going into them. It's a sanctuary for pro athletes. It's a club. I haven't earned the right to be there. They have to let us in. But it's a special place. It's a special bond. I've been around pro athletes. I've seen him cry years later recalling games they're in their 60s and 70s. Those were 50 years ago. There's really nothing like it. And more often than not, when you pay a player and to have just got the bag, they feel a responsibility to not let teammates down, coaches down, fans down, the franchise down. They could. A lot of people could get the money and then take work off a little early. But that's not how tua works and that's not how most pro athletes I've known worked. I think I would call it a wrap. It's tough. Dion Dawkins of the Buffalo bills. Talked after the game. He, an opponent, a rival, was emotional. The decision is tours and tours only, but I bet privately the NFL is having discussions this morning. And I bet they'd prefer he walk away. Not to punish the dolphins to protect tua. Believe it or not, they've said forever. This league, this sport, it's about family. And of all the sports I've covered in my life, it really is. It's different. We wish him and the dolphins well. It's his decision, only the game. So we've talked about this in sports, in the nba with luka. Like how much luka is too much. Luka he always leads the nba in what they call usage rate. Well, if the NFL had that, Josh Allen would lead the league in usage rate last year, I think 58 touchdowns. The bills had he was part of 51 like that. That's not the way you want it. Last night Buffalo had four touchdowns. Josh Allen was part of one of the four. That's what you want? That's what the Celtics did. The Celtics said, we love Jayson Tatum. He's all nba first team, but we're going to lean into collaborative. Dallas is still trying to figure that out with the mavericks. And I think Buffalo is getting really close. And I think last night was an example. This is what I keep asking with Buffalo. I didn't have him in my top 10 to start the season. Let me watch him. But last night was impressive. I mean, the downfall of the patriots at the end, they were too reliant on Brady. But the bills now have a really good running back. Joe Brady, the offensive coordinator. He and Allen work. They have depth at wide receiver too strong above average tight ends they looked efficient. Not a lot of penalties. Offensive line dominated zero sacks allowed it was now Miami's not one of the better defenses in the league but they're not terrible. I mean I look at this last night and I think, is this a pivot? Sean McDermott deserves some credit. Last couple of years, they're drafting offensive guys in the first couple rounds, first couple picks, it's tight ends, it's wide receivers, it's running backs. They're trying to get him help. They're not being stubborn. Sean McDermott and the bills are listening. They're not being stubborn here. I mean, like I think Lamar Jackson is amazing. I don't think he can take those kind of hits. I don't think it's sustainable. But I watched last night. Buffalo now feels more complete. They don't have any drama at wide receiver. Offensive line was excellent a really nice running back tight ends wide receiver depth. Mean, four touchdowns. Josh Allen only connected to one. I think that's the Buffalo bills that can win a super bowl. I didn't know. I watched the Arizona game and my takeaway was come on, you got you got to let's put the superman cape away last night. They did.