Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel explains plan for Tua Tagovailoa's week on Monday
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa will indeed be back on the practice field this week as the team gets ready for its matchup with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. What happens beyond that is still a wait-and-see approach. Head coach Mike McDaniel met with the media on Monday, and he advised that the plan […]
Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa will indeed be back on the practice field this week as the team gets ready for its matchup with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. What happens beyond that is still a wait-and-see approach.
Head coach Mike McDaniel met with the media on Monday, and he advised that the plan for his quarterback is to practice, but that there are hoops that must be jumped through to play beyond that.
"Our plan is to start him practicing on Wednesday, and the clearing doesn't come until after some of the activity. We're obviously doing so in the hope [of] everything going well so he can play Sunday, but that will – to be determined."
As far as why the timing is right to bring Tua back now, McDaniel noted that he's been cleared by medical staff, so he's going with what they've allowed.
"Specifically with concussions, but with any injury in general, just following the directive and opinion of medical experts. I think the reason why he's coming back now is because the medical experts have deemed it safe for him to return. So, I don't mess with timelines or try to overcook or forecast. You lean on experts for matters of the career and that's what we're doing here."
Tagovailoa suffered a scary concussion in the second half of the team's 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills back in Week 2. He crashed into Bills safety Damar Hamlin and his hands appeared to go into a fencing position before he grabbed his head. The team placed him on injured reserve the following week. With the Dolphins' fourth game with him on injured reserve having passed, he's now eligible this week to come off of the list.
In his absence, the Dolphins' passing game has been disastrous with Skylar Thompson, Tyler Huntley, and Tim Boyle under center for the team. The trio has combined for just 546 passing yards across 4 games, or 136.5 yards per game. Tyreek Hill has totaled just 140 receiving yards over that span. He totaled more in a game than that six times last year.
Now, at 2-4, the Dolphins will see if their starting QB can help them get back in the AFC East race, where they sit 3 games behind the first place Buffalo Bills. When he's ready, of course.
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