MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who remains on the injured reserve list, will practice Wednesday, the first day he’s eligible, with hopes of playing Sunday against Arizona, coach Mike McDaniel said Monday.
Tagovailoa still must clear the concussion protocol before being declared eligible to fully practice.
A testy Tagovailoa said Monday he doesn’t think playing football puts him at greater risk for head injury. He went on to say life is a risk whether you’re driving to work or getting out of bed.
“There’s just risk in any and everything,” he said during his 13-minute press conference. “And I’m willing to play the odds. That’s it.”
Tagovailoa, who said he never considered retirement as a result of this concussion, said he wouldn’t wear a Guardian cap, a protective foam-type device worn over players’ helmets during training camp and midweek practices to cushion the blow of hits to the head, upon his return.
“Personal choice,” he said when asked the reason he wouldn’t wear a Guardian cap.
Tagovailoa, who is usually affable and fairly laid back, was noticeably salty and edgy Monday.
It appeared he was irritated about having to answer questions on a podium about his ordeal. Tagovailoa said he doesn’t think he’s putting himself at long-term risk by resuming his career.
“I think the brain is, it’s just, there’s just a gray area when it when it comes to that if you do know that you’re going to get long-term disease from it or if you’re not,” he said. “I just think there’s, there’s, there’s a lot of gray area with it.
“For me, this is what I love to do this is what makes me happy and I’m going to do it. that’s it.”
It appeared he didn’t agree with the decision to be place on the injured reserve list, which meant he had to miss a minimum of four games. It also appeared he doesn’t like all the attention the incident had garnered. He mentioned other athletes aren’t similarly scrutinized.
“I just think it’s based off of whatever that individual feels,” he said. “If you feel like you can go, you can go. This is only, I just think this is only becoming a thing just because of what ended up happening two years ago for myself within the sport.
“I hate that it’s happened, but we don’t look at boxers the same way. We don’t look at hockey players the same way. But I just think because of what happened and the magnitude that had, that it’s becoming more of an issue here in the league.”
He said the entire situation is frustrating.
“Hey, I’m frustrated, but this is what it is,” he said. “Do I want to be known for this? No, I don’t. But that’s the cards I’ve been dealt with given the history of it.”
Tagovailoa traveled around the nation and saw several neurologists. He said they cleared him to continue playing football.
Tagovailoa’s concussions, two of which have come on nationally-televised Thursday night games, have drawn national attention. Some former players and at least one current coach said Tagovailoa should retire.
Tagovailoa was asked what he’d say to those people.
“I appreciate your concern,” he said. “I really do. I love this game, and I love it to the death of me.”
As for his return being able to dig the Dolphins out of their current 2-4 hole, Tagovailoa said it’s not solely on him.
“I don’t think for myself I put any pressure on myself coming back and having to save the team,” he said.
McDaniel said he’s not looking for Tagovailoa to be a “savior.”
The Dolphins have struggled mightily since Tagovailoa has been sidelined.
They’re 1-3 and their previously high-scoring offense has scored 40 points, an average of just 10 points per game, in his absence.
As for why Tagovailoa was placed on injured reserve, which meant a minimum four-game absence, McDaniel said that was decided by medical experts.
“The medical experts deemed that he would be best served with time,” McDaniel said.
However, it’s not clear whether Tagovailoa is good enough to bail out this offense.
In his past eight games Tagovailoa has completed 167-of-260 passes (64.2%) with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The Dolphins are 3-5 in that span.
Quarterbacks Skylar Thompson and Tyler “Snoop” Huntley made starts in Tagovailoa’s absence, and Tim Boyle has taken a few snaps. None has fared well. Tagovailoa hinted the offensive issues go beyond quarterback.
“It shouldn’t take one position for this whole thing to crumble,” he said. “Everybody needs to be on their Ps and Qs as well.”
Tagovailoa sustained his latest concussion against Buffalo. He ran into safety Damar Hamlin’s arm-shoulder area on a fourth-and-4 scramble play.
Tagovailoa also hit the back of his head on the ground when he landed.
It’s not clear what caused the concussion. Tagovailoa said it doesn’t matter.
It was his third diagnosed concussion since the 2022 season, when he sustained a concussion against Cincinnati (and was taken off the field on a stretcher and taken to the hospital before flying home with the team) and one against Green Bay on Christmas.
Tagovailoa also had another head trauma incident against Buffalo early in the 2022 season, during which he was slammed to the ground and was stumbling noticeably after getting to his feet. That was never diagnosed as a concussion and after the game Tagovailoa and the Dolphins said it was a back injury.
McDaniel said he doesn’t think Tagovailoa will run very much going forward.
“I think he has a better understanding of his responsibility toward the entire organization at this point,” McDaniel said, adding part of that is Tagovailoa protecting himself.
McDaniel said it would be meaningful to get Tagovailoa back.
“Anytime you have teammates that you grow together with it feels a little off when he’s not in the mix as much and not calling plays for him,” he said. “I think it’s meaningful for the whole team considering he’s been a captain every year I’ve been here.”
Tagovailoa said he remembers everything that happened the night of his recent concussion. He said he’s consulted with his wife about resuming his career. He said his head was clear fairly quickly after sustaining the concussion.
Asked what he’s learned about the situation, Tagovailoa was succinct.
“That it’s not good to get concussions,” he said.
