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Mike McDaniel offers concerning update about Tua Tagovailoa
By Michael Daly
Published:
Mike McDaniel announced that Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will miss the Week 17 game against the New England Patriots with a concussion.
In Week 16, Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in the loss to the Green Bay Packers. Tagovailoa suffered his 3rd concussion of the season and is in concussion protocol for the 2nd time this season. While it was unclear when he will return, McDaniel prioritized Tagovailoa’s health.
Mike McDaniel on Tua Tagovailoa going forward: “This is a private time for him to focus on his health. This is a human being. His health is the 1st and only priority."
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) December 28, 2022
Mike McDaniel said they reviewed the Packers game film on Monday and questioned Tua about how he felt after a particular hit in the game. McDaniel said some inconsistencies about what he normally sees in Tua caused concern. Then after Tua’s response they sent him to the doctors.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) December 28, 2022
“Terrible.” — Mike McDaniel on what it’s like to see Tua Tagovailoa go through this concussion process again.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) December 28, 2022
“This is a private time for him to focus on his health. This is a human being. His health is the 1st and only priority,” McDaniel said.
The NFLPA initiated a joint review Tuesday into the application of concussion protocol with #Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 28, 2022
Concussion protocol has been a topic of conversation involving the Dolphins and Tagovailoa throughout the season. In Week 3, Tagovailoa hit his head on the field against the Buffalo Bills and continued to play in the game after struggling to stand up. The Dolphins were criticized for allowing Tagovailoa to continue playing in the game.
The following week, Tagovailoa was cleared to play on a short week for Thursday Night Football and suffered a head injury on a frightening play vs. the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 29. For the last 3 months, Tagovailoa worked to return to the field and he was playing at a high level before Sunday’s loss to the Packers.
As a result of his latest head injury, Tagovailoa could be out for the remainder of the season. The Dolphins are battling for a playoff spot and will lean on backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to lead the offense while Tagovailoa is out.
