Yes, I can imagine problems with this muscle could affect the air and fluid paths in the neck and cause untold issues with the Ear, Nose and Throat.
I doubt however, it’s a direct cause. The symptoms are surely knock-on impacts as the compromised muscle impinges and hampers other parts of the system doing their normal job.
I would lay bets that a neck injury compromises the Eustachian Tube function and from what I’ve read this is a semi-neurological process as the brain learns to use the muscles of the neck to control the opening and closing of the ET.
This is very like TMJD. You can get TMJD from muscle injury on the face and neck and the location of the jaw is determined by a learned process. Injure one of the related muscles and your brain can no longer accurately place your jaw and hence TMJD occurs (however don’t panic, have patience, it can learn it again)