Tua Tagovailoa took long, cautious road back from his latest concussion

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa returns to the field for the first time in 42 days .

He'd spent the past five weeks on injured reserve after suffering the third concussion of his NFL career.

He says he'd been absent of any concussion symptoms since Sept. 13 , but the team placed him on IR so he could rest and allow his brain to heal.

He said he didn't like the decision to do so -- especially as Miami went 1-3 without him.

Tua Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve after suffering a concussion in September .

The Dolphins did not set a specific amount of time that he needed to miss, but they knew he needed rest.

Head coach: "The medical experts deemed that he would be best served with time" A concussion expert says there are no "black and white" signs that a player should retire.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will not wear a Guardian Cap upon his return from concussion protocol.

The NFL said it saw a 50% decrease in concussions once its players began using them in 2021 .

A peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Athletic Training said the data behind the NFL 's claim has never been published.