If I Were the Commissioner of the NFL

This past Sunday, the Miami Dolphins pulled off a big upset against the Buffalo Bills, 21-19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. But their quarterback, Tuanigamanuolepola "Tua" Tagovailoa, who led the University of Alabama to the 2017 National Championship, suffered a concussion and had to be removed from the game.

Just 4 days later, last night, the Dolphins played again, losing to the Cincinnati Bengals, 27-15 at Paycor Stadium (formerly named Paul Brown Stadium) in Cincinnati. Tua got sacked by Josh Tupou, and hit the back of his head on the artificial turf. At first, it looked like he was paralyzed. He did not move for 8 minutes until the ambulance came onto the field. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, regained full movement, was discharged, and was allowed to fly back to Miami with his teammates.

If I were the Commissioner of the National Football League, I would void Tua Tagovailoa's contract with the Miami Dolphins, and make him a free agent, eligible to sign with any other team. But I would also advise him to retire. I know, he's only 24 years old. And he needs a job. But he doesn't need a job that puts his central nervous system at further risk.

I would also ban all of the Dolphins' coaches, including head coach Mike McDaniel, their general manager Chris Grier, and their medical staff from the NFL for life. This was not just a failure. This was negligence. Possibly criminal negligence.

And I would strongly advise team owner Stephen Ross to sell the team. Team owners in other sports have been forced out due to racism. But not the kind of racism that has gotten people killed. This kind of negligence will get someone killed unless action is taken.

This was a Thursday game, with only 3 days off since the Dolphins' (and the Bengals') previous game. I would ban all Thursday games, except for Thanksgiving, and give all teams playing on Thanksgiving a bye the previous Sunday.

And this was a head-on-artificial turf injury. I would ban artificial turf. Starting next season, all fields have to be real grass. You can't grow grass under a fixed dome? Get the hell out of the dome. You NFL owners are filthy rich. You can afford to build your own stadiums without taxpayer dollars, and you can certainly afford to replace your current turf field with real grass, or rent another stadium in the interim.

Too many players have suffered and eventually died as a result of football-inflicted head trauma. Usually, the effects are long-term. But five players have died as a result of playing in professional football games in this country, the last being Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions in 1971. Six if you count Darryl Stingley, who lived nearly 30 years after his 1978 paralysis which did, indirectly, lead to his death. I don't want there to be another.

But then, I am not the Commissioner of the NFL. Roger Goodell is. And he is the weakest NFL boss since Elmer Layden in 1945. He proved that by letting the New England Patriots and Tom Brady -- together and separately -- get away with everything. Goodell is what English soccer fans would call a useless bastard. Nothing is going to be done, because the team owners aren't going to be scared into losing money if nothing gets done. They are going to go on as before, and there will be more players hurt like Tua.

And, eventually, there will be a player who dies as a result. Maybe it'll be like putting up a traffic light at a dangerous intersection: The right thing will only be done once someone dies.