Latest news on Miami Dolphins QB
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is dealing with concussion symptoms like headaches, and underwent further evaluations at the team’s facility Friday after he was knocked from a game with head and neck injuries against the Cincinnati Bengals one night earlier.
Tagovailoa was released from a Cincinnati hospital late Thursday and flew back home on the team plane, where coach Mike McDaniel and his Dolphins teammates were elated by his presence.
Tagovailoa sat next to McDaniel and watched the cult-comedy movie “MacGruber” on Tagovailoa’s phone during the flight home.
“I think he was just happy to be with his teammates. And all of his teammates were so elated,” McDaniel said Friday. “This was a scary, scary situation for all of us.”
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Here’s what we know about Tua Tagovailoa’s health:
What happened to Tua Tagovailoa on Thursday night?
Tagovailoa was sacked and slammed to the turf by Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou with 5:43 remaining in the second quarter. Tagovailoa stayed on the turf motionless, and his fingers were disjointed in what was a scary scene. Tagovailoa was carted off the field on a stretcher and didn’t return. He was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center with head and neck injuries, and he did have movement in all of his extremities.
McDaniel said postgame that Tagovailoa was evaluated for a concussion and is in concussion protocol. He was treated for head and neck injuries, and seen wearing a neck brace at the stadium after he was released from the hospital.
What’s the Tua Tagovailoa backstory?
Last week, Tagovailoa appeared to injure his head in the second quarter when he was shoved to the ground by Buffalo Bills linebacker Matt Milano. The impact of the push caused Tagovailoa’s head to slam on the turf. He struggled to his feet before stumbling to the ground again.
Surprisingly, Tagovailoa reentered the game after the team said he passed the NFL’s concussion protocol. The Dolphins later said Tagovailoa suffered back and ankle injuries against the Bills.
Following the Week 3 game, the NFLPA announced that they would launch an investigation into the handling of Tagovailoa’s concussion evaluation. Tagovailoa was listed as questionable with back and ankle injuries going into Thursday night.
What did McDaniel say about the Dolphins’ protocols?
McDaniel, a first-time head coach after rising through the NFL ranks for 15 years, understands the optics of Tagovailoa’s injury playing out on a national stage and the corresponding questions that he received after the Bengals game Thursday and during his news conference Friday.
“The timing of all of it. How things played out. I get the optics. I get exactly what it looks like. I understand all of this and understand people’s concern,” McDaniel said. “But the one thing that I can exude with 100 percent…
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