Tua Tagovailoa makes a short but strong statement about his availability for the playoffs if the Miami Dolphins advance
If the Miami Dolphins make it to the playoffs this weekend, it's become clear that Tyler Huntley is going to be the man to lead them there. Mike McDaniel addressed the media and announced that Tua Tagovailoa will very likely be unavailable on Sunday for the team's regular season finale against the New York Jets. […]
If the Miami Dolphins make it to the playoffs this weekend, it's become clear that Tyler Huntley is going to be the man to lead them there.
Mike McDaniel addressed the media and announced that Tua Tagovailoa will very likely be unavailable on Sunday for the team's regular season finale against the New York Jets.
"I see it as unlikely that Tua will see any action," McDaniel said on Friday during his press conference.
According to McDaniel, it's not a matter of pain tolerance, but rather a matter of strength in the hip and whether it's even safe for him at this point to be able to play football and not risk severe injury. That's required constant check ins with the team's medical professionals.
However, according to Tua, if the Dolphins are preparing for a Wild Card round matchup next weekend, he will be out there regardless.
"Yeah, if the cards play out the way they should and the way we know and think they can, I'm going to be available next week. There's no ifs, ands, or buts. I'll be playing."
It's commendable that Tua wants and would demand to be on the field if Miami has a chance to win their first playoff game in almost a quarter of a century. That being said, how much a player wants to play is obviously limited by what he can do and what the medical professionals say about it.
With what Miami has invested in Tua with its contract extension back in training camp, it may not be in their interests to push Tua with a significant risk of substantial injury that could affect 2025 as well as Tua's career. After all, Miami's ability to protect him right now is a major question mark with both starting offensive tackles on the shelf. A starting tackle duo of rookie Patrick Paul and Jackson Carman doesn't seem like an ideal pair to shield Tua from possible injury.
We'll find out if that's even a consideration after Sunday, when the Dolphins take on the Jets at 4:25 pm ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey looking to secure the AFC's final playoff spot.
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