The Miami Dolphins found themselves in a ditch they couldn’t climb out of midway through Thursday night’s game against the Buffalo Bills. Down 31-10 at the Bills 13-yard line, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa evaded pressure through the middle on a 4th-and-4 for a first down. Unfortunately, the franchise quarterback was met by Buffalo safety Damar Hamlin and pierced right through his chest — head first.
The hit immediately looked like a concussion. Tagovailoa was laid out on the ground with the ball in his left hand, and his right clutched in a grasp. On a night that promised a potential clean slate against a division rival, Miami was in a nightmare. Tagovailoa was diagnosed with the fourth concussion of his NFL career six minutes after the play. Now, the Dolphins’ future at quarterback has once again become murky.
Tua’s Concussion History Puts His Future in Miami and Health in Jeopardy
Status of Tua From What We Know
Miami backup quarterback Skylar Thompson rolled into the game in the end zone following Tagovailoa’s concussion. The backup quarterback did everything he could to sustain the Dolphins’ offense, but it was difficult with his teammate suffering another horrible head injury. Seeing Tagovailoa go through another concussion made him sick, he said.
“It sucks,” Thompson said. “Have a lot of love for Tua. I’ve built a great relationship with him and you care about the person more than the player, everybody in the organization would say the same thing.”
Tagovailoa was able to walk on his own with directions from team staff to the Dolphins locker room. However, it has been reported that the quarterback wasn’t steady when he walked. This injury is his fourth concussion since he joined the league in 2020, including one that involved the use of a stretch to cart him off the field.
Miami head coach Mike McDaniel said that he talked to his quarterback in the locker room before he headed home from Hard Rock Stadium and said he was in ‘good spirits’. However, the seriousness of the concussion and the timeline for recovery is unknown. A proper evaluation will be done tomorrow to determine a timeline toward a Tagovailoa return, which will be taken day-by-day from there, according to McDaniel.
“For me, I’m not worried about anything that is out of my hands, I’m just worried about the human being,” McDaniel said. “He’ll drive the ship when we get the appropriate information, but it’s day-by-day health. Really try to approach all the stuff that way, particularly with concussions.”
A Realistic Medical Retirement Could Come upon Tua
Tagovailoa in 2022 contemplated retirement after he suffered two scary concussions that year. With another injury to the head early in his fifth year in the league, a medical retirement could be evident. Another game with his current history could lead to a higher risk for long-term illnesses such as dementia, CTE, and other ailments, according to a Washington Post investigation.
Of course, an official recovery and timeline for his return is unknown until an evaluation on Friday. Still, the risk of long-term brain issues is very possible for Tagovailoa. This is common as well with other NFL players that have suffered concussions, or major head injuries. The decision will be solely in the former first-round draft choices’ hands.
Dolphins’ Current Quarterback Situation and Options
As of now, Thompson is the lone quarterback on the active roster for Miami. The seventh-round selection beat out former Dolphins quarterback Mike White for the position in a crucial training camp battle. McDaniel is confident in Thompson coming into this new role with Tagovailoa out. Thompson shares the same sentiment.
“This is my third year, and I’ve gotten some really good experience,” Thompson said. “This entire time I’ve just kept working, trying to get better, and just preparing to get opportunities…I’m confident though. I feel like I’m ready for whatever’s to come. Gonna prepare, and work hard, and do everything I can to lead this team.”
The only other quarterback in Miami’s arsenal is six-year veteran Tim Boyle off the practice squad. The 6-foot-4-inch game manager spent the majority of his career as a backup but has some experience as a starter in the league. Boyle’s previous teams include the New York Jets, Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears. He can be elevated to assist Thompson in the position.
Options Outside of the Locker Room
Outside of the team roster, there are plenty of free agents that can be used until a Tagovailoa return. Some of these free-agent quarterbacks include Trevor Sieman, Kellan Mond, and Ryan Tannehill. Out of all these options, Tannehill may be the best choice in the market due to his NFL experience and relationship with the Dolphins.
Tannehill was drafted by Miami in 2012 and developed into the franchise’s first-string quarterback through 2018. The Texas native then took his talents to the Tennessee Titans and found playoff success with an appearance in the AFC Championship game in 2020. Miami, still with playoff intentions, could benefit.
Another unavoidable outlier would be a potential trade. A player that can help could be Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo. The 32-year-old quarterback currently is on a one-year, $3.17 million with Los Angeles. Miami with a good deal could afford Garoppolo and return him to his former offensive coordinator.
Garoppolo and McDaniel’s history spans multiple playoff runs and winning records when both were with the San Francisco 49ers. Even though Tannehill may be familiar with the Dolphins’ building, Garoppolo can jump into Miami’s current system and succeed. McDaniel in theory would be able to use his former quarterback in his yards-after-the-catch offensive style.
The duo in San Francisco went to two NFC Championship games and appeared in Super Bowl LIV. Overall, Garoppolo’s playoff record is a winning one at 4-2. Until Tagovailoa is given a set timetable to return, the winning quarterback could direct the offense until Miami’s main guy under center is healthy for action.
Main Photo: Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images
