Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel addressed the media on Friday morning regarding quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s recovery from a concussion sustained during Thursday night’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. McDaniel emphasized that there is no set timeline for Tagovailoa’s return and that his priority is Tua’s health, not football. McDaniel refused to speculate on when Tua might be back on the field, stating that it would be unfair to put pressure on him.
Tagovailoa suffered the concussion in the third quarter while scrambling on a fourth-down play, colliding head-first with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. After receiving medical attention on the field, Tagovailoa walked off under his own power but was ruled out for the rest of the game. This is not Tua’s first concussion; he missed significant time in the 2022 season due to multiple head injuries, including being stretchered off in Week 4 against the Bengals and suffering another concussion on Christmas Day versus the Packers.
McDaniel also shared that Tua should focus on his personal life, especially being a dad, rather than on football at this moment. When asked about the possibility of Tua considering retirement due to his concussion history, McDaniel declined to comment, stating it would be inappropriate to discuss the quarterback’s career and future at this time.
As for the upcoming games, McDaniel anticipates that Tagovailoa will miss at least one game, though he did not rule out the possibility of the quarterback being placed on injured reserve. Backup QB Skylar Thompson, who started several games for the Dolphins in 2022, will take over the starting role. McDaniel confirmed the team is planning to bring in a third quarterback to the active roster soon, with Tim Boyle currently on the practice squad.
McDaniel expressed confidence in Thompson but mentioned that the team is evaluating options to ensure the best decision for the organization moving forward.
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