A day after Tua Tagovailoa briefly left his team’s win over the Buffalo Bills with what the team insists was a back injury, Miami Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel provided no clarity about Tua’s availability for Thursday night’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
“I have an update that he’s feeling sore, but as far as everything else, we’re acquiring information right now, in terms of the exact imaging,” McDaniel told reporters Monday. “… We’re trying to get information as fast as possible. It’ll be working fluidly from there.”
Will Tua Tagovailoa play vs. Bengals?
The Dolphins did not practice Monday, but still had to release an injury report that estimated participation. Tagovailoa would not have been healthy enough to practice Monday, the team disclosed.
Besides suffering a sore ankle in Sunday’s game, Tagovailoa’s back locked up after a series of painful plays, including a late hit by Matt Milano that left Tagovailoa wobbly and nearly took him off his feet upon his return to the huddle.
That instability triggered a full concussion exam, but both team and independent doctors ultimately decided he did not suffer one. The NFLPA has since initiated an investigation into whether the Dolphins followed all the proper protocols before clearing him to return.
“I think this is the exact reason there are protocols in place,” McDaniel said. “I was with a lot of people, I think. When you saw it, you assumed one thing.”
“… There’s certain things I’m very sensitive to. I’ve been called emotional from time to time,” McDaniel added. “One of those things is player health. I don’t mess around with that.”
McDaniel insisted that Tua would not have returned “if there had been any type of red flags.”
In short, if Tagovailoa does not play against the Bengals, it’ll be because of his back, not any head injury. And based on McDaniel’s words and tone Monday, there’s some real uncertainty inside the building about whether he can go.
If Tagovailoa cannot play, it’ll mark the third straight season he’s missed games due to injury. Teddy Bridgewater would get the start, and rookie Skylar Thompson would be the backup.
“You could see from the onset, he was not happy with the idea of not leading his team, trying to get this win,” McDaniel said of Tua’s mood during his time off the field Sunday. “… His teammates saw a version that we haven’t been able to see.”
Tua is “a confident quarterback who has really grown in his game,” McDaniel said. “… He got to show a hunger and a yearning to be with his brothers, which all of the guys, whether they say it tangibly or not, that’s something that sits with you going forward.”
Beyond Tagovailoa, eight other players would have been held out of practice Monday, had the Dolphins held one: tackle Terron Armstead (toe), tight end Cethan Carter (concussion), cornerback Xavien Howard (groin/glute), offensive lineman Robert Hunt (shin), linebacker Melvin Ingram (rest), safety Brandon Jones (chest), tight end Hunter Long (ankle) and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle (groin).