Miami Dolphins Head Coach Gives Latest Update on Tua Tagovailoa
Former Alabama and current Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is out in the Dolphins' Week 5 matchup against the New York Jets as he remains in concussion protocols.
"Yeah, this is something that it's too early to give a definite timeline," said Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. "I can comfortably say that he will be out for this game against the Jets. But anything beyond that, we're just focused on making sure he's at optimal health and then crossing that bridge, so it's a little early for definite timelines on that."
The Miami starter exited the team's Week 3 matchup against the Buffalo Bills in the second quarter after being hit by a Bills defender. He hit his head on the ground and struggled standing up or moving on his own after the play, which caused him to be sent to the locker room for further evaluation.
He returned after halftime and stayed in the remainder of the game, leading the Dolphins to a 21-19 win against the then undefeated Buffalo group.
Four days later, the Hawaii native started for the Dolphins in its Thursday Night Football matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. He exited the game on a stretcher in the second quarter with head and neck injuries after being sacked by a Bengals defender, hitting his head on the ground.
He was taken to the hospital and released later that night, however the backlash from the decision to put the former national champion in that position spread throughout social media.
The outrage caused an investigation by the NFL's Players Association into the original concussion protocols used in the Bills game to approve Tua's re-entry, which caused the termination of the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant that made the decision.
The third-year player remains week-to-week.
The Dolphins take on the Jets on Sunday, October 9, 2022, at noon CT on CBS. Check your local listings to determine if the game is on in your area.