Every so often something happens in a football game that reminds us that this is just a game these guys are playing. Reminds us that there are things bigger than football. Unfortunately for the Miami Dolphins and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, one of those moments happened Thursday night against the Buffalo Bills, as Tagovailoa took a scary hit and was officially diagnosed with his third concussion since entering the league.
In light of his latest concussion, and the two concussions Tagovailoa suffered in 2022, there have been numerous calls from both media outlets and league personnel for Tagovailoa to retire – something he considered before the 2023 season. But while this is a low moment in the 2024 season for the Miami Dolphins, and a moment that may have Tagovailoa evaluating his future, both with the sport and in general, there is some good that has come of it.
In the wake of Tagovailoa’s concussion and the Thursday Night Football game, Bills fans – known as Bills Mafia – have come out in droves to show their support for their rivals’ quarterback in the form of donations to his charitable works. Good Morning Football reported that Bills fans have raised more than $16,000 for The Tua Foundation in the hours since he left Thursday night’s game.
The Tua Foundation was established by the Dolphins’ quarterback and is “dedicated to the support of youth initiatives, health and wellness, and other charitable causes”, according to the foundation’s mission statement.
This isn’t the first time Bills Mafia has turned up to support a player and their charitable works in the wake of an injury. Fans did the same thing for The Tua Foundation in 2022 after he suffered the second of his two concussions that season, in December. They’ve also made large donations to Cleveland Browns’ Nick Chubb’s foundation after the running back suffered a gruesome knee injury last season, and donated to then-Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton’s foundation after a win sent the Bills to the playoffs in 2017, snapping a 17-year playoff drought.
Sports rivalries can be intense, but it’s moments like these that truly put them in perspective.
