MIAMI — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered the third recognized concussion of his NFL profession on Thursday night time in a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Payments.
Tagovailoa was dominated out of the sport within the third quarter after a play wherein he scrambled up the center for a primary down and lowered his shoulder to provoke contact with Payments security Damar Hamlin. After Tagovailoa’s helmet made laborious contact with Hamlin’s physique, the quarterback instantly went right into a fencing response, a time period used to explain an individual’s arms going into an unnatural place.
Dolphins medical trainers attended to him for a number of minutes as gamers knelt round him. He was in the end capable of stroll off the sector and into the staff’s locker room below his personal energy.
The Dolphins have 10 days till their subsequent sport towards the Seattle Seahawks however may rule out Tagovailoa, no matter how he progresses by way of the league’s concussion protocol. A stint on the injured reserve might be one other risk contemplating his harm historical past.
“Proper now, [it] is extra about getting a correct procedural analysis and taking it in the future at a time,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel mentioned after the sport. “The furthest factor from my thoughts is what’s the timeline. We simply want to judge and simply fear about my teammate. … We’ll get extra data [Friday] after which take it day-to-day from there.”
Listed here are 4 key questions following Tagovailoa’s newest concussion.
What’s Tagovailoa’s harm historical past?
Tagovailoa was a candidate to be chosen as the highest quarterback within the 2020 NFL draft throughout his ultimate season at Alabama however suffered a hip dislocation and fracture of the posterior wall of his hip socket halfway by way of the season. He was additionally recognized with a concussion and damaged nostril that 12 months.
Tagovailoa recovered in time to play for the Dolphins as a rookie however missed 5 video games throughout his first two seasons due to numerous minor accidents. In 2022, he was recognized with two concussions and took a 3rd hit to his head that in the end led to the NFL altering its concussion protocol.
He did not miss a sport through the 2023 season, nevertheless, and earned a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in July.
What choices did Tagovailoa take into account after his 2022 season?
Tagovailoa admitted to briefly contemplating retirement after conversations together with his household. Throughout an interview with “The Dan Le Batard Present” final month, he clarified that it was primarily his mom who requested him to rethink his enjoying profession.
Finally, he determined towards it and spent the 2023 offseason bulking up and coaching in a jiujitsu breakfall program to discover ways to fall with out hitting his head on the bottom.
The coaching appeared to assist as he performed in all of Miami’s video games final season, together with a playoff loss to the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. This offseason, Tagovailoa advised CBS Sports activities he misplaced 14 kilos in an effort to be extra cellular.
Mike McDaniel: Tua in ‘good spirits’ after concussion
Mike McDaniel says Tua Tagovailoa was speaking to teammates within the locker room and is in good spirits after struggling a concussion.
If Tagovailoa desires to return to the sector, what hurdles will he need to clear in concussion protocol?
McDaniel mentioned Tagovailoa will endure thorough testing and analysis earlier than they resolve the best way to proceed. The NFL’s return-to-participation protocol is a five-step course of that culminates in a staff’s doctor concurring with an impartial neurological advisor {that a} participant can safely play once more.
Step one of the protocol is relaxation and restoration “till his indicators and signs and neurologic examination” return to “baseline standing.” The subsequent step is gentle cardio train, adopted by continued cardio train and introduction of energy coaching.
A participant can return to soccer actions within the fourth step of the protocol, all of that are noncontact. The ultimate step is full clearance, as soon as the doctor and neurological advisor agree the participant is prepared.
What are the Dolphins’ choices at quarterback? Will they signal one other participant?
If Tagovailoa can not play in subsequent week’s sport towards the Seahawks, third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson is in line to begin. Thompson began three video games as a rookie in 2022, together with a playoff loss on the street at Buffalo.
The one different quarterback on the Dolphins’ roster is Tim Boyle, who’s signed to their observe squad. There are free agent choices obtainable ought to Miami resolve to usher in one other quarterback, notably the staff’s first-round decide in 2012, Ryan Tannehill.
McDaniel didn’t decide to the potential for enjoying with out Tagovailoa however expressed the “utmost confidence” in Thompson. It is unlikely Miami would instantly herald one other quarterback to begin over Thompson, however it may add depth if Tagovailoa is pressured to overlook time.