Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa in concussion protocol
MIAMI - As if a 4-game late-season losing streak wasn't enough bad news, coach Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel announced Monday that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is in concussion protocol and may not play Sunday at New England.
Tua displayed symptoms on Monday, the day after he threw three 4th quarter interceptions in a loss to Green Bay.
"As far as the game was concerned, no one recognized anything with regard to any sort of hit. I can't really tell you exactly what it was," McDaniel said, adding that he got the news Monday afternoon.
There is no official word on if he has a concussion.
Tagovailoa had a great first half against the Packers but was shut out in the second half. Whether that is related to the symptoms he now has is anyone's guess.
A player displaying concussion symptoms is enough to have that player enter the protocol.
Tagovailoa had a concussion earlier this season and missed a few weeks.
If he can't play in Sunday's game Teddy Bridgewater would get the start.
McDaniel said the veteran backup will get most of the snaps this week in practice.
The Dolphins will make the playoffs if they win their final two games and could possibly make it if they split the games. The finale is at home against the Jets.
The concussion protocol is enacted whenever a player reports concussion-related symptoms, even if he isn't certain to have a concussion.
There is no set timetable for exiting the protocol, so Tagovailoa could potentially play in Sunday's pivotal game at New England if he advances through the NFL's five-step process and is cleared.
If Tagovailoa did suffer a concussion, it would be his second this season.
He entered the concussion protocol after taking a scary hit that knocked him unconscious during Miami's Sept. 29 game at Cincinnati. He was stretchered off the field and returned in Week 7.
Tagovailoa took another hard hit four days before the Cincinnati game during a win over Buffalo. He appeared to show concussion symptoms but was evaluated and stayed in the game.
The injury comes at a challenging time for Miami (8-7), which has lost four straight to fall to the bottom of the AFC playoff field.
"This is something that we have all of our fortunes ahead of us," McDaniel said, "so it's up to us to choose what we do with all the past experiences, move on to the next game."
