MIAMI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career Thursday night in a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Tagovailoa was ruled out of the game in the third quarter after a play in which he ran down the middle of the field for a first down and lowered his shoulder to initiate contact with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. After Tagovailoa's helmet made hard contact with Hamlin's body, the quarterback immediately adopted a fencing stance, a term used to describe a person's arms being put in an unnatural position.
Dolphins medical trainers attended to him for several minutes as players knelt around him. He was eventually able to walk off the field and into the team's locker room on his own.
The Dolphins have 10 days until their next game against the Seattle Seahawks, but could rule out Tagovailoa regardless of how he progresses through the league's concussion protocol. A stint on injured reserve could be another possibility considering his injury history.
“Right now, [it] “It's more about getting a proper procedural evaluation and taking it day by day,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game. “The last thing on my mind is what the timeline is. We just need to evaluate and worry about my teammate. … We'll get more information.” [Friday] and then take it day by day from there.”
Here are four key questions following Tagovailoa's latest concussion.
What is Tagovailoa's injury history?
Tagovailoa was arguably the best quarterback in the 2020 NFL draft class during his final season at Alabama, when he suffered a dislocated hip and a fracture of the posterior wall of the hip socket midway through the season. He was also diagnosed with a concussion and a broken nose that year.
Tagovailoa recovered in time to play for the Dolphins as a rookie, but missed five games during his first two seasons due to various minor injuries. In 2022, he was diagnosed with two concussions and suffered a third blow to the head that ultimately led the NFL to modify its concussion protocol.
However, he did not miss a game during the 2023 season and earned a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in July.
What options did Tagovailoa consider after his 2022 season?
Tagovailoa admitted that he briefly considered retirement after talking to his family. During an interview with “The Dan Le Batard Show” last month, he clarified that it was primarily his mother who asked him to reconsider his playing career.
Ultimately, he decided against it and spent the 2023 offseason getting stronger and training in a jiu-jitsu fall program to learn how to fall without hitting his head on the ground.
The training seemed to help, as he played in all of Miami's games last season, including a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. This offseason, Tagovailoa told CBS Sports that he lost 14 pounds in an effort to be more mobile.
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Mike McDaniel: Tua is in “good spirits” after concussion
Mike McDaniel says Tua Tagovailoa was talking to his teammates in the locker room and is in good spirits after suffering a concussion.
If Tagovailoa wants to return to the field, what hurdles will he have to overcome in the concussion protocol?
McDaniel said Tagovailoa will undergo extensive testing and evaluation before deciding how to proceed. The NFL's return-to-play protocol is a five-step process that culminates with agreement between the team physician and an independent neurological consultant that the player can safely return to play.
The first step of the protocol is rest and recovery “until signs and symptoms and neurological examination” return to their “baseline state.” The next step is gentle aerobic exercise, followed by continued aerobic exercise and introduction of strength training.
A player can return to football activities in the fourth step of the protocol, all of which are non-contact. The final step is full clearance, once the doctor and neurologist agree the player is ready.
What are the Dolphins' options at quarterback? Will they sign another player?
If Tagovailoa can't play in next week's game against the Seahawks, third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson could be the starter. Thompson started three games as a rookie in 2022, including a playoff loss on the road at Buffalo.
The only other quarterback on the Dolphins' roster is Tim Boyle, who is signed to their practice squad. There are free agent options available if Miami decides to bring in another quarterback, most notably the team's 2012 first-round pick, Ryan Tannehill.
McDaniel was noncommittal about the possibility of playing without Tagovailoa, but expressed his “utmost confidence” in Thompson. Miami is unlikely to immediately bring in another quarterback to start in Thompson's place, but could add depth if Tagovailoa is forced to miss time.
