-
Marcel Louis-Jacques, ESPN
MIAMI — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career on Thursday night time in a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills.
Tagovailoa was dominated out of the sport within the third quarter after a play wherein 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 onerous 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 in a position to stroll off the sphere and into the group’s locker room below his personal energy.
The Dolphins have 10 days till their subsequent recreation towards the Seattle Seahawks however might rule out Tagovailoa, no matter how he progresses via the league’s concussion protocol. A stint on the injured reserve might be one other risk contemplating his damage historical past.
“Proper now, [it] is extra about getting a correct procedural analysis and taking it sooner or later 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 guage and simply fear about my teammate. … We’ll get extra info [Friday] after which take it daily from there.”
Listed below are 4 key questions following Tagovailoa’s newest concussion.
What’s Tagovailoa’s damage historical past?
Tagovailoa was a candidate to be chosen as the highest quarterback within the 2020 NFL draft throughout his closing season at Alabama however suffered a hip dislocation and fracture of the posterior wall of his hip socket halfway via the season. He was additionally recognized with a concussion and damaged nostril that 12 months.
Tagovailoa recovered in time to play for the Dolphins as a rookie however missed 5 video games throughout his first two seasons due to numerous minor accidents. In 2022, he was recognized 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 recreation through the 2023 season, nevertheless, and earned a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in July.
What choices did Tagovailoa take into account after his 2022 season?
Tagovailoa admitted to briefly contemplating retirement after conversations together 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 enjoying 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.
The coaching 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 cellular.
0:37
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 needs to return to the sphere, what hurdles will he must clear in concussion protocol?
McDaniel stated Tagovailoa will endure thorough testing and analysis earlier than they determine methods to proceed. The NFL’s return-to-participation protocol is a five-step course of that culminates in a group’s doctor concurring with an impartial neurological guide {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 subsequent step is mild cardio train, adopted by continued cardio train and introduction of power 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 guide agree the participant is prepared.
What are the Dolphins’ choices at quarterback? Will they signal one other participant?
If Tagovailoa can not 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 at Buffalo.
The one different quarterback on the Dolphins’ roster is Tim Boyle, who’s signed to their apply squad. There are free agent choices out there ought to Miami determine to herald one other quarterback, notably the group’s first-round choose in 2012, Ryan Tannehill.
McDaniel didn’t decide to the potential of enjoying 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, nevertheless it might add depth if Tagovailoa is pressured to overlook time.
