MIAMI — 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.
YearGamesInjury20225Concussions20214Broken ribs/finger20201Thumb20194Ankle/dislocated hip>>Performed each recreation final season
Tagovailoa was dominated out of the sport within the third quarter after a play by which 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 arduous 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 sphere underneath his personal energy and into the staff’s locker room.
The Dolphins have 10 days till their subsequent recreation towards the Seattle Seahawks however may rule Tagovailoa out, no matter how he progresses by the league’s concussion protocol. A stint on the injured reserve listing may very well be one other risk contemplating his harm historical past.
“Proper now, [it] is extra about getting a correct procedural analysis and taking it at some point at a time,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel stated 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 below are 4 key questions following Tagovailoa’s newest concussion.
What’s Tagovailoa’s harm historical past?
Tagovailoa was arguably the highest quarterback of the 2020 NFL draft class throughout his remaining season at Alabama, when he suffered a hip dislocation and fracture of the posterior wall of his hip socket halfway by the season. He was additionally recognized with a concussion and damaged nostril that yr.
Tagovailoa recovered in time to play for the Dolphins as a rookie, however missed 5 video games throughout his first two seasons on account of numerous minor accidents. In 2022, he was recognized with two concussions and took a 3rd hit to the top that in the end led to the NFL altering its concussion protocol.
He did not miss a recreation in the course of the 2023 season, nevertheless, and earned a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in July.
What choices did Tagovailoa think about after his 2022 season?
Tagovailoa admitted to briefly contemplating retirement after conversations along with his household. Throughout an interview with The Dan Le Batard Present, he clarified that his mom primarily requested him to rethink his taking part in profession.
In the end, he determined towards it and spent the 2023 offseason bulking up and coaching in a jiu-jitsu breakfall program with the intention to learn 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 towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. This offseason, Tagovailoa advised CBS Sports activities he misplaced 14 kilos in an effort to be extra cell.
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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 sphere, what hurdles will he need to clear in concussion protocol?
McDaniel stated Tagovailoa will bear thorough testing and analysis earlier than they determine easy methods 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 unbiased neurological marketing consultant {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 following step is gentle cardio train, adopted by continued cardio train and introduction of power coaching.
A participant can return to soccer particular actions within the fourth step of the protocol, all of that are non-contact. The ultimate step is full clearance, as soon as the doctor and the neurological marketing consultant agree the participant is prepared.
What are the Dolphins’ choices at quarterback? Will they signal one other participant?
If Tagovailoa can’t play in subsequent week’s recreation 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 in Buffalo.
The one different quarterback on the Dolphins’ roster is Tim Boyle, who’s technically signed to their follow squad. There are free agent choices accessible ought to Miami determine to herald one other quarterback, notably the staff’s first-round decide in 2012, Ryan Tannehill.
McDaniel didn’t decide to the potential of taking part in with out Tagovailoa however expressed the “utmost confidence” in Thompson. It is unlikely Miami would instantly usher in one other quarterback to begin over Thompson, however it may add depth if Tagovailoa is compelled to overlook time.
