Tua Tagovailoa injury update: NFL insider reveals likelihood Dolphins QB will be ready for potential playoff run

Amid the Dolphins’ playoff push, Tua Tagovailoa (hip) will miss Miami’s Week 18 matchup against the New York Jets.

Miami isn’t in the psotseason just yet. The Dolphins have to beat the Jets on Sunday and get some help from the Denver Broncos to make it. Whether Tagovailoa can come back for that potential playoff matchup remains to be seen.

Assuming they earn that final spot, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed the latest on Tagovailoa’s injury and where he stands in being able to return for the postseason.

“Tua says that he will be ready, no if’s, and’s, or but’s. That’s what he told reporters,” Fowler said on Saturday morning during an appearance on SportsCenter. “But the issue, I’m told, is that he has to be cleared medically on that hip issue. He has to be able to throw and create torque on the hip. That has been a problem thus far.

“He cannot do that yet, so he would need to go through practice, probably be on a limited basis early on, and be able to deliver the football. So he believes he’s going to do that, but from what I’m told, that’s more the competitive side of Tua.”

Fowler noted that Tagovailoa is “frustrated” with the injury. The Dolphins quarterback was playing as well as any quarterback in the league after returning from his previous injury. He’s only played in 11 of Miami’s 17 games after missing time in September and October.

During his first six games back from injury, he threw 14 touchdowns compared to one interception. Overall, he hasn’t turned the ball over in seven of his last eight starts. Miami, who is 8-8 overall, is 5-2 in games where Tagovailoa doesn’t throw an interception since his return.

If everything aligns and Miami does secure the last spot in the AFC playoff race, the Dolphins will be headed to frigid Buffalo to take on Josh Allen and their AFC East rivals, the Bills.

“They can get in,” Fowler continued. “He believes that they can make a little run despite being in Buffalo, a place where he’s struggled in the past. It’s supposed to be in the mid 20s in Buffalo next week. No snow, though.

“I think he’ll play but he’ll have to get clearned medically.”