Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa is back with the team on the practice field this week after a four-game stint on the injured reserve list following a scary concussion from Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills.  

That means Tagovailoa is also eligible to face the media again, and that's what he did on Monday morning.  

However, the normally mild-mannered and smiling Tagovailoa was mostly anything but during his press conference, having some short and direct comments from reporters while seeming irritated at times. 

And some of what Tagovailoa said was concerning, particularly for those who are worried about him suffering yet another concussion – he's been diagnosed with three thus far in his career. He had a message to those worried about him, while probably not using the choice of words they wanted to hear given the circumstances. 

"I appreciate your concern, I really do. I love this game, and I love it to the death of me. That's it."

Regarding the calls for him to retire, Tua said that was not something he was ever listening to.  

"I wasn't paying attention to any of it," he responded. "None of it."

Tua said that the team, by putting him on injured reserve, in effect was protecting him from his own self based on his own competitive nature and push to get back out on the field than perhaps before his body was ready. 

"What I do know is I think the team did what was best in the interest of me, knowing that I'm a competitor, and given what the doctors have told me, that having a substantial amount of time to rest and recover would have been good for me. I think they did what was best in terms of protecting myself from myself. 

Tua was asked if he would wear a guardian cap, the protective headwear over the helmet designed to reduce concussion risks.  RB De'Von Achane wore one on Sunday against Indianapolis after suffering a concussion against the Patriots.  Tagovailoa shot that down quickly.

"Nope," Tua said. "Personal choice," he added as to why. 

As far as whether he will stop taking risks as to getting hit, he did acknowledge the need to change at the professional level from what he's done earlier in his career, which is something that surely should have already been taken into account. 

"You've just got to be smart," he said. "My entire time playing football, I've been a competitor, and that is, or was, sort of my edge when I would run.  From high school to college, I would do the same thing. But this is the professional setting, the professional level, the best of the best, you know, you just can't be doing that. So, definitely got to stay more available for the team, for the organization, and for our guys." 

As far as whether anyone tried to talk him into retiring, he said that, aside from some talks with his wife, no one influenced him to consider hanging them up after this latest concussion. 

"No one's advice affected anything that I thought in terms of returning. So, no one had an effect on it. Had some conversations with my wife, but that was it." 

Tagovailoa talked about the frustration watching the game from the sidelines – where he says he's been symptom free since the day after the hit – and what he's been doing to try and help the offense while off the practice field. 

"It's been frustrating. I've been with meetings with the guys, trying to continue to be the leader for guys in multiple position rooms in terms of what we're looking at, how you can make the quarterback's job a little easier by doing this, by doing that. And then also some nuances within the offense as well, trying to help everyone.

"It's just frustrating that I couldn't help in any way outside of trying to coach and just talking to guys. So, it's been a different type of way of leading with our guys." 

Now, the Dolphins' star will have the chance to get back on the field and try to get a stagnant offense jump started not just from the meeting rooms and film rooms, but from the huddle instead.  

We'll see later this week if Tua will be cleared to play, and whether that transformation can begin on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at Hard Rock Stadium. 

Miami Dolphins’ collapse against Colts was the same symphony of systemic mistakes

Miami’s ugly season continued in Indianapolis