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Tua Tagovailoa will not be returning for the Dolphins’ wild-card game against the Bills.
On Wednesday head coach Mike McDaniel ruled out the third-year quarterback for the playoff matchup, as he has not been cleared for football activities after suffering multiple concussions this season — most recently in Week 16 against the Packers.
“It’s very frustrating for Tua,” McDaniel told reporters, according to The Palm Beach Post. “He wants to be with his team for the playoffs.”
Teddy Bridgewater, the team’s backup quarterback, appears unlikely to be ready to play as well after suffering a finger injury the following week against the Patriots. So, the team is preparing as if seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson will start.
Miami lost five straight games heading into Week 18, but slipped into a playoff spot with an ugly 11-6 victory over the Jets. The Dolphins’ reward is now to go into Buffalo with a third-string quarterback, who has completed 57.1 percent of his passes this year for one touchdown and three interceptions.
Tagovailoa’s playing future appears murky going forward, as he suffered a number of high-profile head injuries throughout the year.
He was transported to the hospital after slamming his head on the ground and being knocked unconscious in a game against the Bengals in Week 4. A week earlier — in a victory over the Bills — he appeared wobbly while standing up after taking a hit from linebacker Matt Milano. He briefly left that game with what the Dolphins claimed was a back injury.
The NFL changed its concussion protocol in the wake of those events — mandating that if a player shows possible concussion symptoms, he cannot return in that game.
“Tua is learning that he needs to listen to the advice of doctors and medical professionals, he understands the severity of doing that,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa was placed in the concussion protocol again after the Packers game despite having finished the whole contest. He has not played since.
“I’m just thinking about his day and him getting to full health as a human being,” McDaniel said, according to the Associated Press. “And then when it’s time to turn the page, I’ll turn the page.”
Thompson completed 20 of 31 passes for 152 yards and no turnovers in Sunday’s win over the Jets, his second start of the season. Overall, he is has completed 60 of 105 passes (57.1 percent) with one touchdown and three interceptions. The Dolphins have lost all four games in which he has attempted more than 10 passes.
The Bills went from being a nine-point betting favorite to being -13.5 at some books after Miami’s quarterback decision was announced.
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