Tua Tagovailoa “will RETURN as quarterback for the Dolphins next season” with medics “confident he can continue playing in the NFL” despite three concussions threatening his career
Tua Tagovailoa is set to return as the Miami Dolphins’ starting quarterback for the 2023 season, despite his concussion issues, a report has said.
Regardless of whether the 24-year-old quarterback’s season is over as he remains on concussion record ahead of Miami’s first playoff game on Sunday, Tagovailoa is expected to return in 2023.
The Dolphins have been pleased with Tagovailoa’s development this season under first-year coach Mike McDaniel, according to ESPN.
Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return as the starting quarterback for the Miami Dolphins in 2023
The 24-year-old has suffered three concussions this season and remains in the record
Tagovailoa has been on concussion record since Dec. 26 and made his second appearance this season after losing to the Green Bay Packers in Week 16.
Tagovailoa previously suffered a concussion in a Week 4 loss to Cincinnati in a game that rendered him unconscious and resulted in him being carried off the field.
That was four days after he was allowed to return to a game against Buffalo after looking disoriented after scoring.
Tagovailoa has been on concussion records since Dec. 26 following a loss to the Packers
However, medical experts are said to be confident that the quarterback can continue his NFL career next season or even sooner.
Tagovailoa’s head banged off the Hard Rock Stadium lawn in the second quarter of the Week 16 game, but he was not examined or removed from the game, prompting an investigation into the situation.
The NFL and players’ union have cleared the team of any wrongdoing over the diagnosis of Tagovailoa’s recent concussion.
It’s not clear for Tagovailoa when or if he will return to the field, but many current and former players have raised concerns about his long-term health following his second confirmed concussion of the season.
He suffered a concussion against the Bengals after a Week 4 tackle knocked him unconscious
Tagovailoa’s first concussion scare came in the second quarter against the Bills in September
Most recently, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith claimed that Tagovailoa’s career was in jeopardy after this season’s concussions.
Speaking to Dan Orlovsky, Smith said: “I think his career is in jeopardy.
“We don’t want to point fingers. Nobody has malicious intentions. But when he was in that game against Buffalo and he got knocked down, got up again and fell again, there was no way he should have continued playing.
“Four fays later, four, he shouldn’t have played Cincinnati. It’s not just about what the tests show, it’s about what the eyes see. It is a verdict by someone other than the athlete as to whether the athlete is allowed onto the field. Usually it’s about six days and they’ve had a game in four – that’s three days to prepare for that game in four.
Stephen A Smith on Thursday underscored his concern for 24-year-old Tagovailoa’s career
“He walked onto the field in Cincinnati and we all know what happened. He was taken away in an ambulance. We saw. It was bad.
“Then he comes back weeks later. We’re constantly taught that concussion is such a delicate thing. Let’s go over the latest, he finished a game, Dolphins won (Dolphins actually lost 26-20) and on Monday they noticed the concussion issues.
“It was after the game was over, took off his uniform, went home, came back the next day and then they noticed concussion issues.”
Tagovailoa was not cleared to resume football activity this week and the time he was out of action allowed McDaniel to rule him out of Sunday’s wild card game against the Bills.
Teddy Bridgewater, who is listed as questionable with finger and knee injuries, is expected to be active for the crunch game but is reportedly set to serve as a backup for rookie starter Skylar Thompson.