Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa takes firm stance on Guardian Cap use

Miami Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa whitethorn beryllium connected way to play against the Arizona Cardinals for a pivotal Week 8 matchup aft helium suffered a devastating concussion.

Tagovailoa suffered the injury against the Buffalo Bills, and he’s been sidelined ever since. As helium worked his mode backmost to getting cleared and into crippled shape, helium made wide connected Monday that helium wouldn’t spell the adjacent measurement toward perchance protecting his head.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Miami Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa takes questions during an NFL shot quality conference, Monday, Oct. 21, 2024, astatine the Dolphins grooming installation successful Miami Gardens, Fla.  (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)

He said helium wouldn’t deterioration a Guardian Cap.

"Personal choice," helium said erstwhile asked wherefore helium wouldn’t deterioration the headgear.

Tagovailoa said helium would person to beryllium smarter connected the tract to forestall himself getting wounded adjacent further.

"Just got to beryllium smart, that’s it. Just got to beryllium smart," helium said. "My full clip playing football, I’ve been a competitor, and that is oregon was benignant of my borderline erstwhile I would tally from precocious school, adjacent successful assemblage I would bash the aforesaid thing. But it’s a nonrecreational setting; this is the nonrecreational level, the champion of the best, you conscionable cant beryllium doing that. So decidedly got to enactment much disposable for the team, for the organization, for our guys."

Several players person worn the Guardian Cap this season.

GIANTS SHOULD REGRET LETTING SAQUON BARKLEY GO AFTER LIGHTING IT UP AGAINST THEM, EX-NFL STAR SAYS

Miami Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa (1) aims the shot during a signifier league astatine the team's grooming facility, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, successful Miami Gardens, Fla.  (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)

The headdress was invented successful 2011, and since it was introduced successful the NFL 2 years ago, concussions person gone down successful grooming campy by much than 50% from the mean of the 2018, 2019 and 2021 seasons, according to the league.

The Guardian Caps were introduced during grooming campy earlier the commencement of the 2022 season. They were made mandatory astatine preseason practices successful 2023 arsenic good arsenic immoderate regular-season oregon playoff signifier that featured contact. Only quarterbacks, wide receivers, antiaircraft backs, kickers and punters are not obliged to deterioration the portion of protection.

The NFL has stated that if some players progressive successful helmet-to-helmet interaction are wearing the cap, the unit of the interaction is lowered by astatine slightest 20%, and 10% if 1 subordinate is wearing it.

The league besides reported that Guardian Caps worn during grooming campy practices successful 2023 helped the league recognize a seven-year debased successful training-camp concussions.

Miami Dolphins backmost Tua Tagovailoa (1) is assisted connected the tract during the 2nd fractional of an NFL shot crippled against the Buffalo Bills, Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024, successful Miami Gardens, Fla.  (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Atlanta Falcons backmost Kirk Cousins weighed successful connected whether helium would deterioration the Guardian Cap this play when helium spoke to Fox News Digital.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He had said successful August that helium astir apt wouldn’t deterioration it.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports sum connected X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.