Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel says he expects Tua Tagovailoa to play football this season after suffering his latest concussion earlier this year.
Tagovailoa has had multiple concussions in his NFL career, with the most recent coming after the Dolphins QB dove for a first down and took a hit from Bills safety Damar Hamlin in Week 2.
The 26-year-old was able to walk off the field under his own power after the collision.
It was the latest in a long line of concussions for Tagovailoa after suffering multiple in the 2022 season, with the QB saying in 2023 that he had considered stepping away from football “for a time” due to the impact of the head injuries.
But after his most recent head injury, McDaniel told reporters on Monday he hopes to see Tagovailoa return to the field this season.
“They’ve continued to be positive. There’s still information that he’s seeking this week,” McDaniel said. “As far as timelines go, I know he’s not playing this week and I do expect to see him playing football in 2024.
“But where that is exactly, we’ll let the process continue since we still have time before he can even entertain anything. So we’ll make sure he’s diligent this week and assess after that.”
Tagovailoa was placed on the reserve/injured list (IR) following his Week 2 concussion, meaning he is set to miss a minimum of four games.
Per NFL rules, Tagovailoa’s earliest return to competition would be Miami’s home game in Week 8 against the Arizona Cardinals on October 27.
Per NFL protocol, every player diagnosed with a concussion must follow a five-step process before returning to practice, which takes into account a player’s history with concussions and the future risk of any further head injuries.
The Dolphins have struggled in Tagovailoa’s absence, losing twice and winning their most recent game in Week 5 against the New England Patriots.
After guiding the Dolphins to the playoffs last season, Tagovailoa agreed to a four-year contract extension in the offseason, reportedly worth $212.4 million.