Dolphins QB vs. Cardinals injury update

Tua Tagovailoa returned to Miami Dolphins practice this week for the first time since suffering a concussion in September. Is Tua playing today?

The quarterback suffered at least his third career concussion when he was hit in Week 2. Tagovailoa was placed on the injured list as some questioned whether his injury history would cause him to retire.

Tua was back at practice on Wednesday and was allowed to play on Friday. He and the Dolphins wanted to get back into action today against the Arizona Cardinals. Miami struggled in his absence, starting 2-4 with the NFL's worst offense despite having stars Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and De'Von Achane.

Here's what we know about Tua's injury status, his concussion history and whether he'll play against the Cardinals today:

Is Tua playing today?

Yes. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Friday that Tua will play in today's game against the Cardinals. He returned to training on Wednesday and trained fully throughout the week. Tua cleared the final hurdle of clearing the NFL's concussion protocol on Friday and was officially released from injured reserve on Saturday, allowing him to be a starter this afternoon.

He said Monday that he was not thinking of retiring after his last concussion and that he has been symptom-free since the day after the injury.

“I think the team did the best to let me know I was a competitor and given what the doctors said, it would have been good for me to have adequate time to rest and recover,” Tua said. “I think they did the best they could to protect me from myself.”

His Dolphins teammates were excited all week to have Tua back. “Put on the (beep) band,” Tyreek Hill said after practice Wednesday. “We’re back, baby.”

Who is the Miami Dolphins quarterback today?

First up is Tua Tagovailoa. His replacement is less certain, but is expected to be Skylar Thompson.

In last week's loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Dolphins' starting quarterback was Tyler Huntley, who went 7 of 13 for 87 yards and a touchdown and added 20 rushing yards. Tim Boyle came into the game after Huntley suffered a shoulder injury and went 8 of 13 for 74 yards. Thompson was the emergency third-string quarterback and missed his third straight game with a rib injury.

Coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday he doesn't expect Huntley to be available. Thompson is not on the injury report, so he or newly signed CJ Beathard could be the backup QB today. Boyle was released Saturday to make room for Tagovailoa on the active roster.

Will Tua wear a Guardian hat?

The NFL this season allowed players to wear Guardian caps, coverings made of a soft foam layer placed over a regular football helmet, during games. They have become standard across football as a preventative measure against head injuries. Running back De'Von Achane became the first Dolphin to wear a Guardian cap in a game against the Colts last week; Achane suffered a concussion last week.

Tagovailoa said Monday he would not wear a Guardian cap, saying it was a personal decision. He said he would adapt by playing smarter and taking more calculated risks on the field.

“I love this game,” Tua said Monday, “and I love it to death.”

What happened to Tua Tagovailoa?

On a four-down play late in the third quarter on Thursday night, September 12, Tua Tagovailoa fought his way up the middle for a first down. He lunged at Bills safety Damar Hamlin, his head striking the defender's chest and then hitting the ground.

Tua's arms froze in the air in what neurologists call a “fencing response,” a sign of head trauma. He was able to leave the field and did not return to the game. He was later diagnosed with a concussion, his third official concussion in the last three seasons.

Tua was placed on injured reserve on September 17, which automatically ruled him out of the Dolphins' next four games.

How many concussions did Tua have in his life?

September 12th was Tua's third recorded concussion, although there is speculation he had a fourth. In 2022, during the Dolphins' Week 3 game against the Bills, the back of Tua's head hit the ground hard after a hit from Matt Milano. The quarterback stumbled while getting up and was briefly eliminated from the game. McDaniel said Tua was evaluated by an independent neurologist and was removed from the NFL's concussion protocol the next day. The injury was initially reported as a head injury, but was later changed to a back injury.

Four days after that game, Tua suffered an even more serious injury on Thursday Night Football against the Cincinnati Bengals. In the second quarter, the quarterback was thrown hard onto the turf and lay there for several seconds with his fingers seemingly frozen in the air. He missed the next two weeks after the Bengals game.

Ten weeks after his return, Tua suffered another head injury on Christmas Day against the Green Bay Packers. He stopped the game briefly before returning. He was diagnosed with another concussion after the game. Tua would miss the final two games of the regular season as well as the Dolphins' first playoff game since the 2016 season.

“Do I want to be known for this (concussions)?” Tua said Monday. “No, I don’t. But those are the cards I was dealt given the story.”

Tua Tagovailoa's injury history

Tua had no concussions before entering the NFL, but his college football career at Alabama was derailed by injuries. After subbing for Jalen Hurts at halftime to win the 2018 national championship game, he suffered a high ankle sprain in the SEC championship game the following year. He underwent “rope surgery” and was back in the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff run less than a month later.

After returning from another ankle sprain in 2019, Tua dislocated his right hip in the final game of his college career. He reportedly screamed “in pain” on the field before being carried to the locker room. The injury caused him to fall from the projected No. 1 overall pick to the Dolphins' No. 5 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.

In the NFL, Tua has missed 13 regular season games and one playoff game in his first five NFL seasons. He played in all 17 games as well as the playoff game in 2023. He has missed the Dolphins' last four games.

Miami Dolphins depth chart

Here's a look at the quarterback on the Dolphins' roster, along with his injury status:

QB1: Tua Tagovailoa (Q-concussion)
QB2: Skylar Thompson
QB3: Tyler Huntley
Training group: CJ Beathard

Where to watch Dolphins vs. Cardinals: time, TV channel, streaming

When: 1 p.m. Sunday, October 27th
Where: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
TV: fox
Streaming: Fubo (free trial)

Dolphins vs. Cardinals will be broadcast nationally on Fox in Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season. Jason Benetti and Mark Schlereth will call the game from the booth at Hard Rock Stadium, while Jen Hale will report from the sidelines. Streaming options include Fubo, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.

Contributors: Tom D'Angelo, Hal Habib, Nick Pugliese and Joe Schad, The Palm Beach Post

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