Tua Tagovailoa injury update: Mike McDaniel addresses possibility of injured reserve for Dolphins QB
Tua Tagovailoa won’t be placed on injured reserve, at least as of now, according to Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel.
Tagovailoa is set to meet with neurologists following his latest concussion, which he sustained against the Buffalo Bills Thursday. Right now, it’s a wait-and-see approach for the entire Dolphins’ brass.
McDaniel updated the masses with the latest on Tagovailoa.
“Dolphins HC Mike McDaniel said there’s ‘not enough information’ yet to place Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve,” Louis-Jacques wrote on Twitter. “He and Chris Grier will discuss that once further evaluations are completed.”
When Tagovailoa went down on Thursday evening, his right hand curled into a fist and extended into the air. Although it was not as severe, the involuntary action was eerily familiar to Tagovailoa’s reaction when he suffered a concussion in September 2022.
The concussion was Tagovailoa’s first of two that season. As Schefter mentioned, the former Alabama standout has now had three known concussions during his NFL career. It was a slow night for Tagovailoa before he suffered the injury. He finished the game with 145 passing yards and a touchdown while throwing three interceptions.
Numerous NFL veterans and media personalities have implored Tagovailoa to retire to preserve his health since the injury on Thursday, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter emphasized that Tagovailoa has not yet made any permanent decisions.
“[Dolphins head coach] Mike McDaniel has been pretty clear that they’re going to leave this up to Tua and the doctors,” Schefter said. “The Dolphins, right now, have no other choice but to move ahead.
“The plan is to start Skylar Thompson on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. He’ll be the Dolphins’ starting quarterback in that game while Tua continues to gather more and more information for his future.”
In two games this season, Tagovailoa has 483 yards, two touchdowns, three interceptions and a 64.5% completion percentage. He had the best season of his career in 2023, throwing for 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns, 14 interceptions and a 69.3% completion percentage.
Miami hits the road this coming Sunday and takes on the Seattle Seahawks at 4:05 p.m. ET.