Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will practice Wednesday for the first time in six weeks, and if all goes well, will come off injured reserve and play Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Tagovailoa, who has been on injured reserve after suffering his fourth diagnosed concussion in five years, met with South Florida reporters Monday. A summary of his comments are below.
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Speaks
Tagovailoa returns to a Dolphins team in crisis. They have lost all but one of their last five games and have arguably the NFL’s worst offense.
The Dolphins haven’t scored more than 15 points in any of those five games.
And the three quarterbacks who have replaced him — Tyler Huntley, Skylar Thompson, and Tim Boyle — rank 36th, 43rd, and 39th out of 45 quarterbacks to log 20 or more snaps this year in expected points added (EPA) per play and 40th, 15th, and 42nd in completion percentage over expected (CPOE).
Tagovailoa returns to a team that, entering Monday night’s action, is the 10th seed in the AFC. Miami does have the easiest remaining strength of schedule from an opponents’ winning percentage standpoint (.400).
Tagovailoa, in his short time available this year, completed 40 of 62 passes for 483 yards, two touchdowns, and three interceptions. The Dolphins went 1-1 in games he started.
Here’s what Tua — whom ESPN reported has been symptom-free for weeks — told reporters in his first news conference since getting hurt.
Tua Tagovailoa’s Comments
Tagovailoa said he’s been symptom-free from the day after the concussion.
He said he never considered retirement and won’t wear a Guardian Cap.
Why?
“Personal choice.”
As for if he will play with more caution and not take unnecessary risks, Tua replied:
“Got to be smart. My entire time playing football, that was sort of my edge, when I would run. It’s a professional setting, the best of the best. You just can’t be doing that.”
Tagovailoa acknowledged it’s frustrating to miss time, and to be the symbol of the NFL’s concussion issue.
“It’s just frustrating that I couldn’t have helped in any way outside of coach, and just talking to guys. It’s been a different type of way of leading.”
Tagovailoa acknowledged that the team made the right decision to put him on IR “to protect myself from myself.”
Tagovailioa, when asked what he would say to people who were truly concerned about him, said:
“I appreciate your concern. I love this game, and I love it to the death of me.”
Tagovailoa said that the discourse around his latest concussion have been shaped by happened to him two years ago, when he was taken off the field on a stretcher in Cincinnati in a national showcase game.
Tua said he remembers everything about what happened the night of his recent concussion, aside from a few spotty moments when he got up off the field. He remembers the play in which he got hurt.
Tagovailoa said he’s been throwing for the last five weeks, including some with Odell Beckham Jr.
When asked about the risk of continuing to play, he likened playing football to driving one’s car to work.
“There’s risk in anything. I’m willing to play the odds.”