What we know about Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa's concussion

MIAMI – Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered the third diagnosed concussion of his NFL career in a 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night.

Tagovailoa was taken out of the game in the third quarter after he ran up the middle on a play to gain a first down and lowered his shoulder to make contact with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. After Tagovailoa's helmet made hard contact with Hamlin's body, the quarterback immediately went into a fencing reaction, a term used to describe when a person's arms get into an unnatural position.

The Dolphins' medical trainers tended to him for several minutes while the players knelt around him. Eventually, he was able to leave the field under his own power and walk to the team's locker room.

The Dolphins have 10 days until their next game against the Seattle Seahawks, but could rule Tagovailoa out regardless of how he progresses through the league's concussion protocol. A stint on the injured list could be another possibility given his injury history.

“At the moment, [it] It's more about getting a proper procedural evaluation and taking it one day at a time,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game. “The last thing I'm thinking about is the schedule. We just have to evaluate and just take care of my teammate. … We'll get more information [Friday] and then carry on day by day from there.”

Here are four important questions following Tagovailoa's recent concussion.

What is Tagovailoa’s injury history?

Tagovailoa was a candidate to be selected as the top quarterback in the 2020 NFL Draft during his final season at Alabama, but suffered a hip dislocation and fractured the posterior wall of his hip socket midseason. He was also diagnosed with a concussion and a broken nose this year.

Tagovailoa recovered in time to play for the Dolphins as a rookie, but missed five games in his first two seasons due to various minor injuries. In 2022, he was diagnosed with two concussions and suffered a third blow to the head, which ultimately led to the NFL changing its concussion protocol.

However, he did not miss a single game in the 2023 season and received a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in July.

What options has Tagovailoa considered after his 2022 season?

Tagovailoa admitted to briefly considering retirement after talking to his family. In an interview with “The Dan Le Batard Show” last month, he clarified that it was primarily his mother who urged him to reconsider his playing career.

Ultimately, he decided against it and spent the 2023 offseason building muscle and participating in a jiu-jitsu breakfall program to learn how to fall without hitting his head on the ground.

The workout seemed to help, as he played in all of Miami's games last season, including a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. In the offseason, Tagovailoa told CBS Sports he lost 14 pounds to become more flexible.

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Mike McDaniel: Tua in “good mood” after concussion

Mike McDaniel says Tua Tagovailoa has been talking to his teammates in the locker room and is in good spirits after his concussion.

If Tagovailoa wants to return to the field, what hurdles will he have to overcome in the concussion protocol?

McDaniel said Tagovailoa will undergo thorough testing and evaluation before a decision is made on how to proceed. The NFL's return-to-play protocol is a five-step process that ends with the team doctor agreeing with an independent neurological consultant that the player is safe to return to play.

The first step of the protocol is rest and recovery “until his signs and symptoms and neurologic examination” return to “baseline.” The next step is light aerobic exercise, followed by continued aerobic exercise and the introduction of resistance training.

The fourth step of the protocol allows a player to return to soccer activities, all of which are non-contact, with the final step being full clearance once the physician and neurological consultant agree the player is ready.

What options do the Dolphins have at quarterback? Will they sign another player?

If Tagovailoa is unable to play next week against the Seahawks, third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson is projected to be the starter. Thompson started three games as a rookie in 2022, including a playoff loss on the road at Buffalo.

The only other quarterback on the Dolphins' roster is Tim Boyle, who is signed to their practice squad. There are free agent options should Miami decide to add another quarterback, most notably Ryan Tannehill, the team's first-round pick in 2012.

McDaniel did not comment on whether he could play without Tagovailoa, but expressed his “utmost confidence” in Thompson. It's unlikely Miami will immediately sign another quarterback to replace Thompson, but it could provide depth if Tagovailoa is out.