MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins gamers have been ecstatic to see quarterback Tua Tagovailoa return to the follow area Wednesday, maybe no yet another than large receiver Tyreek Hill.
Tagovailoa practiced for the primary time since sustaining a concussion Sept. 12. He was positioned on injured reserve the next week and missed the Dolphins’ subsequent 4 video games.
The NFL’s main passer final season is eligible to return off IR this week, and Hill mentioned Tagovailoa’s return introduced a well-recognized feeling again to the follow area.
“He appeared nice. Felt like outdated occasions,” Hill mentioned. “Me and him related on a number of deep photographs at the moment, and that type of obtained me feeling good at the moment. I missed that and I missed him. I informed him I’ve obtained to take him and his spouse to dinner as a result of I missed him a lot. S— was so lovely, that s— virtually made me cry at the moment like simply having him within the lineup, having him name the performs, having him direct the offense, like simply listening to his voice.
“I do know that sounds loopy, however he is a giant a part of this group.”
Miami is 1-3 within the 4 video games Tagovailoa has missed. Throughout that stretch, the Dolphins’ offense ranks final in scoring, thirty first in offensive anticipated factors added and twenty ninth in yards per recreation.
Hill’s manufacturing has tapered with out Tagovailoa. He is on tempo for 833 receiving yards, which might be his lowest whole since his rookie season.
After connecting along with his quarterback on a number of deep passes throughout Wednesday’s follow, Hill’s pleasure carried into the locker room. Vast receiver Jaylen Waddle mentioned Tagovailoa accomplished virtually each move he threw to Hill, and that after they’re on the identical web page, “it usually results in huge performs.”
“It was lovely. It was so lovely,” Hill mentioned. “I guess in case you go ask each man on this locker room, simply say, ‘Hey, did Tua join with Tyreek at the moment?’ And if they are saying, ‘Yeah,’ the subsequent query needs to be, ‘What was his response proper after that?’ I simply had a giant cheese on my face as a result of it simply felt so good. Like y’all do not know what it does to me.”
Tagovailoa was injured after initiating contact to finish a scramble towards the Buffalo Payments in Week 2. Each Tagovailoa and coach Mike McDaniel agreed that the quarterback has a accountability to guard himself on the sphere transferring ahead.
Hill joked that he and his teammates inform Tagovailoa “on a regular basis” to slip, and that Dolphins followers ought to cheer for him when he does. Operating again Raheem Mostert echoed Hill’s sentiment, including that Tagovailoa is in the end the one accountable for his actions on the sphere.
“Oh yeah, we have been speaking to him ever since his harm,” Mostert mentioned. “I have been telling him, ‘Hey, it is advisable to work on sliding.’ And all of us joke round and giggle, however on a severe observe, he is aware of that he has to guard himself a little bit bit higher and transferring ahead, solely he can management these issues. We are able to say these issues to him till we’re blue within the face, however one factor that I might say that is at all times my saying is, ‘Hey, you may convey a horse to water, however you may’t make him drink, proper?’
“We’ll convey Tua to that water, however we won’t make him drink. He has an understanding of that, and transferring ahead, he’ll do his finest.”
Tagovailoa was a restricted participant in Wednesday’s follow. To play Sunday, he’ll should be a full follow participant both Thursday or Friday. As soon as he practices in full, he can meet with an impartial neurological guide assigned to the group and obtain ultimate clearance to play.
The No. 5 decide within the 2020 NFL draft mentioned he has been symptom free because the day after he sustained the concussion, the third recognized one in all his NFL profession.
