What we know about Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa’s concussion

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

Tagovailoa was ejected from the game in the third quarter after a play in which he rushed up the middle for a first down and lowered his shoulder to initiate contact with Bills safety Damar Hamlin. After Tagovailoa’s helmet slammed into Hamlin’s body, the quarterback immediately responded by fencing, a term used to describe a person’s arms being put in an unnatural position.

Dolphins medics tended to him for several minutes as players knelt around him. He was eventually able to walk off the field and into the team’s locker room on his own.

The Dolphins have 10 days until their next game against the Seattle Seahawks but could be without Tagovailoa regardless of his progress through the league’s concussion protocol. A stint on injured reserve could be another possibility given his injury history.

“Right now, it’s just a matter of getting a proper evaluation of the procedure and taking it one day at a time,” Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said after the game. “The last thing on my mind is what the timetable is. We just have to evaluate and worry about my teammate. … We’ll get more information (Friday) and we’ll take it day by day from there.”

Here are four key questions following Tagovailoa’s latest 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 he suffered a dislocated hip and a fractured posterior hip wall midway through the season. He was also diagnosed with a concussion and a broken nose that year.

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

He did not miss a game during the 2023 season, however, and was awarded a four-year, $212.1 million contract extension in July.

What options has Tagovailoa considered after his 2022 season?

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

Ultimately, he decided against it and spent the 2023 offseason building muscle and training in a jiujitsu program to learn how to fall without hitting his head on the ground.

The training seems to have paid off as he appeared in every game for Miami last season, including a playoff loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. This offseason, Tagovailoa told CBS Sports he lost 14 pounds in an effort to be more mobile.

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Mike McDaniel: Tua in ‘good spirits’ after concussion

Mike McDaniel says Tua Tagovailoa was talking to teammates in the locker room and was in good spirits after suffering a 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 extensive testing and evaluation before deciding how to proceed. The NFL’s return-to-participation protocol is a five-step process that culminates in the team physician agreeing with an independent neurological consultant that a player is safe to play again.

The first step of the protocol is rest and recovery “until signs and symptoms and neurological examination return to baseline.” The next step is light aerobic exercise, followed by continuous aerobic exercise and an introduction to strength training.

A player can return to football activities in the fourth stage of the protocol, which is non-contact. The final stage is full clearance, once the doctor and neurologist agree that the player is ready.

What are the Dolphins’ options at quarterback? Will they sign another player?

If Tagovailoa can’t play in next week’s game against the Seahawks, third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson could start. Thompson started three games as a rookie in 2022, including a road playoff loss at Buffalo.

The only other quarterback on the Dolphins roster is Tim Boyle, who signed to their practice squad. There are free-agent options available if Miami decides to bring in another quarterback, including the team’s 2012 first-round pick Ryan Tannehill.

McDaniel didn’t discuss playing without Tagovailoa but expressed “utmost confidence” in Thompson. Miami is unlikely to immediately bring in another quarterback to replace Thompson, but it could add depth if Tagovailoa is forced to miss playing time.