The Miami Dolphins are on a forced break until September 22nd, but the downtime is only fueling speculation about the future of their injured quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa. The Pro Bowler suffered yet another concussion, his third in the NFL, during Thursday night’s 31-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The alarming "fencing" response he exhibited was reminiscent of a similar incident two years ago in Cincinnati that knocked him out of a prime-time game.
"It’s so sad, guy just got paid," remarked Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez on Prime Video’s postgame show. "It was great to be Tua, and it is great to be Tua. However, I’m looking at these concussions. If I’m him, at this point, I’m seriously considering retiring from football. If that was my son, I would be like, ‘It might be time.’ This stuff is not what you want to play around with. Tua’s future? I’m thinking retirement here."
Tagovailoa, who had a standout season in 2023 with 4,624 yards and 29 touchdowns, signed a lucrative four-year extension in July worth up to $212.4 million, with $167 million guaranteed. Despite his success on the field and his massive contract, concerns about his health took center stage after Thursday’s game.
"The furthest thing from my mind is, you know, ‘What is the timeline?’" said Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel when asked about Tagovailoa’s potential move to injured reserve, which would sideline him for a minimum of four games. With the Dolphins’ bye week in Week 6, Tagovailoa could be out of action until at least October 27th.
McDaniel reiterated his stance on Friday morning when pressed about Tagovailoa’s future in the game. The quarterback’s well-being is now the top priority for the Dolphins as they navigate through this challenging situation.
