Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa hospitalized with head and neck injuries after being carted off the field

Miami Dolphins linebacker Tua Tagovailoa suffered neck and head injuries after being tackled to the ground in Thursday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals and carried off the field.

The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious with movement in all of his limbs and was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further evaluation.

Tagovailoa was chased down and sacked by the 6-foot-3, 340-pound Josh Tupou with six minutes left in the first half. She twisted it and threw it on the lawn. While on the ground, his hands froze in front of his face. He remained lying there for more than seven minutes before being lowered onto a board, stabilized and strapped to a stretcher after his mask was removed.

Dolphins players gathered around as Tagovailoa was carted off the field and the crowd chanted “Tua!

Reaction came quickly from around the NFL. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Broncos QB Russell Wilson immediately tweeted their concern for Tagovailoa’s well-being.

“Praying for you Tua,” Wilson wrote.

Tagovailoa, 24, had been dealing with back pain and was listed as questionable for most of the week leading up to the game.

Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday’s 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills after appearing disoriented with what the team initially said was a head injury following a hard hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milan late in the first half. He missed just three snaps and returned after the break, a decision that prompted the NFL and the National Football League Players Association to jointly review what went into the decision to allow him to return to the game.

The team and Tagovailoa said after the game that the quarterback had a back injury that caused him to stumble awkwardly and fall after being hit on the turf in the second quarter. The team said Monday that Tagovailoa was not in the concussion protocol.

He said he “hyper-extended” his back after getting his legs caught by someone during a quarterback.

Before leaving Thursday’s game, Tagovailoa was 8-for-14 for 100 yards and an interception. He was replaced in the game by Teddy Bridgewater, who threw a touchdown pass to Chase Edmonds with 15 seconds left in the half.

The play of Tagovailoa, who won a national championship at Alabama, was key to the 3-0 Dolphins. He entered the game second in the NFL with 925 yards.