Miami Dolphins HQ experienced a massive vibe shift this week with the return of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa from injury.
A 2-4 start would doom most teams, but if Tagovailoa — who practiced Wednesday for the first time in six weeks — can play in Week 8 (and beyond), the Dolphins believe they can make some noise in an uninspiring AFC.
What Happened to Tua Tagovailoa?
Tagovailoa suffered his fourth diagnosed concussion on Sept. 12 when colliding with Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin in a Week 2 game.
Due to Tua’s long history of head injuries, the Dolphins placed Tagovailoa on injured reserve — even though he told reporters this week that he’s been symptom-free since Sept. 13.
“It’s pretty simple when the medical experts are advising you to do one thing,” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said when asked why Miami put Tua on IR. “The whole issue was that it needed time to rest for that injury.”
That time, thankfully for the Dolphins, appears to be up.
When Will Tagovailoa Return From His Injury?
The Dolphins’ 2024 season should get a lifeline Sunday when Tagovailoa is expected to play for the first time since the Bills’ loss.
While he has long been symptom-free, Tua still hadn’t yet passed the concussion protocol as of Wednesday. It was believed he was in Phase 4 of 5 — Club-Based Non-Contact Training Drills.
In the zone 🔒 pic.twitter.com/bBuucsdx3v
— Miami Dolphins (@MiamiDolphins) October 23, 2024
For a quarterback, there’s no functional difference during practice between that and what Tua did on Wednesday. Quarterbacks are never subject to contact.
But he still needs clearance from both a club physician and the independent neurological consultant for full-contact activity in order to play Sunday.
But based on how long he’s been without symptoms, that seems to be a formality.
Miami Dolphins QB Depth Chart
If for some reason Tagovailoa cannot play Sunday, the Dolphins would have a real problem on their hands. Their backup quarterback situation has been and continues to be a mess.
Tyler Huntley has started the last three games but will not play due to a shoulder injury.
That leaves three options for QB2 (in the best-case scenario) or QB1 (in the worst):
Skylar Thompson, Tim Boyle, and recently added C.J. Beathard, who spent several seasons with McDaniel in San Francisco.