Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return to the field at some point this season, though head coach Mike McDaniel conceded that he still has several hurdles to clear in his recovery.
Upon suffering his third concussion in two years in the second half of the Dolphins’ Week 2 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve and forced to sit out the ensuing four contests. Following Miami’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts this week, he will be eligible to be designated for return from IR.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, McDaniel revealed that the updates Tagovailoa has received from neurologists have “continued to be positive” – but insisted the Dolphins had no intention of rushing him back.
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“There’s still information that he’s seeking this week,” McDaniel said. “As far as timelines go, I know he’s not playing this week and I do expect to see him playing football in 2024, but where that is exactly we’ll let the process continue since we still have time before we could even entertain anything.”
Last month, ESPN’s Adam Schefter expressed a similar sentiment on “Monday Night Countdown,” sharing that Tagovailoa has received promising information from medical experts regarding his NFL future. “The fact of the matter is, he has been symptom-free, and he has been meeting with neurologists,” he said. “And I don’t believe that anybody’s told him anything right now to dissuade him from wanting to play. And I think there’s a feeling here that he is bound to come back.
“And for all the talk there was about Tua Tagovailoa and how he should stop playing and how he should retire, the fact of the matter is there’s a real possibility that when his four games are up on injured reserve, that he’s going to be back in the Miami Dolphins lineup.
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Tua Tagovailoa has been sidelined for the Dolphins’ last three games after being placed on injured reserve (
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“And a lot of people will find this hard to believe, hard to imagine, but there is that real possibility that he’s going to be back that soon. And at the very least, he certainly sounds like he is intent upon continuing his NFL career sooner rather than later.”
McDaniel’s comments, meanwhile, mark the first time he’s expressed confidence that Tagovailoa will suit up for the Dolphins this season. In the immediate aftermath of his latest health setback, pundits, fans and players alike implored him to consider retirement.
Despite the abundance of calls for him to hang up the cleats, Tagovailoa asserted that he has no plans of stepping away from football anytime soon. Nick Saban, who developed a close bond with the 26-year-old while coaching him at Alabama, reaffirmed his desire to play again while appearing on the ‘Pat McAfee Show.’
“I talked to Tua. He really wants to play,” he divulged over the weekend. “Whether he ever can play or get the opportunity to do it again, I guess that’s a medical decision somebody has to make.
“He seemed to be good. I talked to him right afterwards. You know, he’s good. He’s always positive and, you know, very enthusiastic.”
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