What we learn about Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa's concussion -- and what's subsequent

Editor’s be aware: This story was initially printed Sept. 13, following Miami’s loss to Buffalo. On Tuesday, a source confirmed to ESPN that the Dolphins are placing Tagovailoa on injured reserve.

MIAMI — After the Miami Dolphins‘ Tua Tagovailoa was identified with the third concussion of his NFL profession, a supply advised ESPN on Tuesday that the quarterback can be positioned on injured reserve and be out for not less than 4 video games.

Tagovailoa was dominated out within the third quarter of the Dolphins’ 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday after a play through 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 contact with Hamlin’s physique, the quarterback fell to the bottom and 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 Tagovailoa for a number of minutes as gamers knelt round him. He was finally capable of stroll off the sector and into the crew’s locker room beneath his personal energy.

From that time, Dolphins had 10 days till their subsequent sport towards the Seattle Seahawks to rule out Tagovailoa, no matter how he progresses by the league’s concussion protocol. They finally positioned him on IR.

He’s not assured to return when Miami hosts the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8. The crew is just not dashing its lately topped franchise quarterback again from one other traumatic head harm. Tagovailoa will search opinions from a number of impartial neurologists earlier than returning to the sector.

When requested about Tagovailoa’s future in soccer, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel stated it was as much as the quarterback to determine.

“So far as Tua’s profession is anxious, I believe it is of utmost precedence of thoughts for Tua to talk on Tua’s profession,” McDaniel stated. “So I believe studies are studies. So far as I am involved, I am simply frightened concerning the human being and the place that is at each day, and I believe I am going to let Tua be the champion of his personal profession and converse on that.”

That is the primary time Miami has been pressured to play with out its beginning quarterback since 2022, when Skylar Thompson and Teddy Bridgewater began a mixed 5 video games, together with a playoff loss to the Payments. Since Tagovailoa entered the league in 2020, the Miami is 33-20 in video games he began and 7-9 in these all different QBs began, together with Thompson, Bridgewater, Jacoby Brissett and Ryan Fitzpatrick.

In keeping with ESPN Analysis, the Dolphins have a 19% likelihood to make the playoffs, which ranks thirteenth out of 16 AFC groups. Miami has a 3% likelihood to win the AFC East.

This is what we learn about Tagovailoa’s state of affairs:

What’s Tagovailoa’s harm historical past?

Tagovailoa was a candidate to be chosen as the highest quarterback within the 2020 NFL draft throughout his ultimate season at Alabama however suffered a hip dislocation and fracture of the posterior wall of his hip socket halfway by the season. He was additionally identified 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 due to varied minor accidents. In 2022, he was identified with two concussions and took a 3rd hit to his head that ultimately led to the NFL altering its concussion protocol.

He did not miss a sport throughout the 2023 season, nevertheless, and earned a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in July.

What choices did Tagovailoa contemplate 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” final month, he clarified that it was primarily his mom who requested him to rethink his taking part in profession.

Finally, he determined towards it and spent the 2023 offseason bulking up and coaching in a jiujitsu breakfall program to learn to fall with out hitting his head on the bottom.

Tagovailoa additionally began wearing a VICIS helmet particularly designed to restrict concussions for the wearer.

“It was like a share higher than the helmet that I had,” Tagovailoa stated in August 2023. “Every little thing issues and so I’ll play that share. So if you happen to have a look at it final yr, it wasn’t anybody actually hitting my head. It was actually simply the bottom.”

The coaching and helmet change appeared to assist as he performed in all of Miami’s video games final season, together with a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. This offseason, Tagovailoa advised CBS Sports activities he misplaced 14 kilos in an effort to be extra cell.

If Tagovailoa needs to return to the sector, what hurdles will he must clear in concussion protocol?

McDaniel stated Tagovailoa will bear thorough testing and analysis. The NFL’s return-to-participation protocol is a five-step course of that culminates in a crew’s doctor concurring with an impartial 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 mild cardio train, adopted by continued cardio train and introduction of energy coaching.

A participant can return to soccer actions within the fourth step of the protocol, all of that are noncontact. The ultimate step is full clearance, as soon as the doctor and neurological marketing consultant agree the participant is prepared.

What are the Dolphins’ choices at quarterback? Will they signal one other participant?

Third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson is in line to start out. Thompson began three video games as a rookie in 2022, together with a playoff loss on the highway at Buffalo. On Monday, the Dolphins signed quarterback Tyler Huntley to be the backup. McDaniel stated the transfer so as to add Huntley “was not any direct reflection on Skylar” and was made to bolster the crew’s depth.

The opposite quarterback on the Dolphins’ roster is Tim Boyle, who’s signed to their observe squad.

McDaniel expressed the “utmost confidence” in Thompson, who beat out veteran Mike White for the backup job this offseason — partially due to how McDaniel stated the crew responded to him each time he was on the sector.

Sunday will mark his second-ever highway begin. Dolphins linebacker Jordyn Brooks, who performed for the Seahawks for 4 seasons, stated his recommendation to Thompson for Sunday’s sport is to do not forget that his teammates are on the sector with him, belief on this week’s preparation and simply play his sport.