The Miami Dolphins lost to the Buffalo Bills on Thursday night in a game that was never close. The story from the game was not the loss, though, but rather the injury to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. In the third quarter, Tagovailoa scrambled away from pressure on a 4th-and-2 play, picking up six yards and giving Miami a 1st-and-Goal. On the tackle, however, Tagovailoa leaned into safety Damar Hamlin and sustained a concussion.
The quarterback, as he hit the ground, displayed fencing symptoms, the scary moment where the hands begin twitching uncontrollably and are pulled up in front of the face. Tagovailoa showed similar symptoms from a concussion during the 2022 season, a year in which he sustained three concussions. He left last night’s game immediately and went into the locker room, with the team confirming he had sustained a concussion.
On Friday morning, head coach Mike McDaniel met with the media, with Tagovailoa’s injury, status, and the team’s way forward as the main topics of discussion.
McDaniel was asked if the Dolphins are considering adding a quarterback as they assess Tagovailoa’s health and any potential return, or if they will move forward with quarterback Skylar Thompson as the starter. McDaniel explained, “[The discussion of potentially adding a veteran] started late last night and I think the way to best articulate where we’re at is the team and the organization are very confident in Skylar and see there was a reason he was our backup quarterback. That being said, we will bring in someone. We’re just evaluating the pros and cons for the different situations and getting through all those possibilities to do the best thing for the team, but as it stands today, I’m expecting that Skylar is the next man up.”
The coach was asked if he believes last night’s concussion was worse than the previous concussions he sustained in 2022. “Realistically for me, first and foremost, I’m not assessing the injury through the lens of all right, so what does this mean for him playing? And so just what I know to be of the utmost importance and what I really care about, it didn’t really matter the severity of it. I think this is something that it’s super important to – the whole, all the science behind concussions tells you what we’ve learned is how delicate the time is right after an injury and how important it is that you don’t institute extra sources of anxiety. So from my vantage point, I feel it’s supremely important in understanding that, that I’m not giving off any sort of vibes, I’m not trying to even look at, ‘OK well, how serious is this relative to his past ones?’
He continued, saying, “Really, really for me, I know the facts are that it’s important that he gets healthy day by day and in that, the actual, the best thing I can do is not try to assess what this even means from a football standpoint. And knowing that and with my relationship with players – specifically with Tua, but with all the players – it’s not in my DNA to think, ‘Hey, what does this mean for…’ What it means is that to properly prioritize what’s most important that I have to put his health as the primary. And so it’s been 10 hours since I last talked to you guys. For me, I absolutely positively will not do anything to make anything worse or hurt anyone of our players, specifically guys that are in concussion protocol.
“Ironically, I think there’s a lot of people that have vested interest in the Miami Dolphins. There’s a lot of fans and there’s a lot of people that want to support, but quite literally, questioning timelines; that gives forth anxiety. Trying to meet them, trying to assess what this means for playing. This is heavy stuff that you have to be diligent and deliberate and coaching up Tua, ‘Hey, your job is to be a dad and to communicate daily’ – and we’ll have daily assessments with experts in the field and handle that. And that is the only thing that matters because you don’t make matters worse by trying to – he would be able to feel if I was trying to vibe out and diminishing what this was based upon some symptoms. So literally I understand it completely and it’s not like I would’ve thought any other way until I was in a position of finding out information of what’s best for players in this situation, but talking about or having any sort of assumptions or planning – like I have no idea and nor should I, and I don’t want to because I want him to be healthy. And the best way to be as healthy as fast as possible is to not focus on anything but being present; for him with Ace and Maizy and Annah and that’s it.”
After clarifying that the original question was not meant to be focused on trying to get Tagovailoa back on the field, but rather a sense of severity of the injury based on the outpouring of support from players both in Miami and around the league. McDaniel replied, “Thank you for qualifying that.
My energy is fueled by my deep care and concern for him, and I realize that I may have been misguided in not projecting that energy towards you. I hear your perspective, and I understand that it’s crucial for him to prioritize his health over football at this moment. There was clear communication between him, the trainers, and the doctors, which is a positive sign. Ultimately, the opinions that matter most are those of Tua and the medical experts. I haven’t spoken to Tua yet, but I will soon, and they will be meeting with the experts. I acknowledge your point, and I wasn’t upset with you. The emotional attachment to this situation is significant.
In regards to discussions about Tua’s future and the possibility of retirement due to concussions, I believe it would be inappropriate and harmful to bring up such topics. It’s essential to focus on his well-being as a human being rather than his career. I urge everyone who genuinely cares about Tua to refrain from speculating about his future and to prioritize his current health and recovery. Tua should have the final say in decisions regarding his career, and it’s not our place to make assumptions or suggestions that could impact him negatively.
The idea of using Guardian caps for added protection was mentioned, and I am open to exploring any options that could benefit Tua and other players. Regarding potential decisions about placing Tua on injured reserve or bringing in a veteran quarterback, I have no concrete information at this time. Tua’s input and the advice of medical experts will be the determining factors in any decisions moving forward. Transparency and prioritizing Tua’s well-being are my top priorities in this situation.
I believe that focusing on Tua’s health and personal well-being transcends the business aspect of the situation. It may not be the most conventional approach, but it is the most ethical and compassionate way to handle this delicate situation. In navigating the uncertain circumstances ahead, our approach remains grounded in readiness for any scenario that may arise. It is crucial to refrain from hasty judgments and instead rely on the input of the key stakeholders, namely Tua and the medical professionals. Without their guidance, it would be premature for me to make decisions that are pivotal to the situation at hand. While speculation may point towards the need for an additional quarterback on the roster for the upcoming game, the ultimate call rests with Tua and the medical team.
My message to Tua is simple – the responsibility lies on him to prioritize his well-being and family commitments this weekend. It is imperative that we proceed with caution and not add unnecessary pressure on him during this time of uncertainty. As I reassured Tua on the field, he is the leader of his family, and I encouraged him to take a moment to collect himself before we regroup.
For more insights from McDaniel’s recent media session, you can view the video link provided below.
[Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images]
You can watch McDaniel’s media availability from Friday here: The document needs to be rewritten.