Ex-NFL Coach Rex Ryan Rips Dolphins Over Tua Tagovailoa Injury Situation

OPINION | This article contains commentary that reflects the author's opinion.

On “Sunday NFL Countdown,” former NFL coach Rex Ryan said that coaches need to protect the players from themselves.

He said coaches should ask themselves whether they would put their son back in the game knowing what they saw on the Sunday before Tagovailoa’s injury on Thursday night.

Ryan believed that Tagovailoa’s injuries from Week 3 were “clearly” from head trauma and not a hyperextended back.

Ryan added, “This is clearly from head trauma. That’s it, a concussion. I know what it looks like. We all know what it looks like. My answer is this, no way in hell I put my son back in that game. No way in hell. And you know what, no way in hell I put somebody else’s son back out there either.”

“This is an epic fail. It’s a fail on the coach, too,” he said. “As a coach, you’re the last line of defense. I’m sorry, but I’m not letting that guy back out there.”

McDaniel said that several layers cleared Tagovailoa of medical professionals during his game against the Bills, and he did not have a head injury.

“My job as a coach is here for the players. I take that very seriously,” McDaniel said. “And no one else in the building strays from that.”

McDaniel added, “There was no medical indication from all resources that there was anything regarding the head. If there had been, of course, I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if I prematurely put someone out there.”

The unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who evaluated Tagovailoa regarding the game against the Bills has been fired.

More on this story via Fox News:

The NFL and the NFLPA launched a joint review into the decision by the doctor to clear Tagovailoa and allow him back into the game.

There are three unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants at each game and are jointly paid by the league and the union to work with team physicians to diagnose concussions.

The NFL and the NFLPA said they made no conclusions about “medical errors or protocol violations” while the investigation is still ongoing. But the two added that “modifications are needed … to enhance player safety.” The said they expected “changes to the (concussion) protocol” to happen “in the coming days based on what has been learned thus far in the review process.”