Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa has been officially ruled out for Sunday’s game in New England after suffering a concussion in Miami’s Christmas Day loss to Green Bay.
Miami coach Mike McDaniel said Friday that Tagovailoa is still on the NFL’s concussion protocol and is focusing on his health day-to-day.
“He’s better than the day before,” said McDaniel. “But I’m also trying to get a team ready for this game and it really doesn’t do anyone any good to coax the scenario where they have to focus on their health and nothing else.”
Teddy Bridgewater will lead Miami in Sunday’s crucial divisional match, which will be a factor in whether the Dolphins snag their first postseason berth since 2016. The Dolphins can win the playoffs with a New York Jets win and loss against Seattle or a tie combined with a Jets loss and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss or a tie.
It’s not clear for Tagovailoa when or if he will return to the field, but many current and former players have raised concerns about his long-term health following his second confirmed concussion of the season.
McDaniel appeared equally concerned for his 24-year-old quarterback but has chosen his words carefully and divulged few details about Tagovailoa’s future. He said on Friday that he was “busy” in shutting out outside opinions about Tagovailoa’s health.
“I haven’t read, spoken, or heard anything outside of my job with the people I work with,” McDaniel said. “I think from an integrity standpoint, it’s important for me to do everything for the right reasons and not interfere in any way with the situation.”
Tagovailoa previously suffered a concussion in a Week 4 loss to Cincinnati in a game that rendered him unconscious and resulted in him being carried off the field.
That was four days after he was allowed to return to a game against Buffalo after looking disoriented after scoring. It was a disturbing scene when Tagovailoa wobbled trying to get back on his feet, and the NFL later changed its concussion protocol to require any player showing possible symptoms of a concussion — including a lack of balance or stability — to be tested – the rest has to sit out a game.
Returning for Miami’s Week 7 matchup against Pittsburgh, Tagovailoa spoke about how stressful the whole process had been.
“It was a process, that’s for sure,” Tagovailoa said in October. “To deal with the interviews with the NFL and the NFLPA and then having to go outside with second opinions for doctors… but it’s all for the safety of the players. I’m glad I had to go through these things to understand more about what happens in concussions and the implications.”
Tagovailoa’s brother, Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa, told the Associated Press on Thursday that he is concerned for his brother’s long-term health given the amount of information available about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, the progressive brain disease caused by repeated blows to the head.
“This is my brother,” he said. “I want him to always be safe but at the same time play the game he loves and do what he loves to do and see him happy. In life, I feel like we all have to make these tough decisions regardless of what he feels like doing at the moment. There’s a lot more years and a lot more time because he’s still young. “
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