Tua Tagovailoa is facing a tough road ahead as he’s been placed on injured reserve.
This means he’ll miss at least the next four games following his third concussion in his NFL career.
The latest injury occurred when Tagovailoa attempted to gain a first down, diving head-first into Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin.
Quarterback Shuffle and New Arrivals
With Tagovailoa sidelined, Skylar Thompson is expected to start this Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Dolphins have also brought in Tyler ‘Snoop’ Huntley from the Ravens practice squad to fill the void left by Tagovailoa’s injury.
Future Plans Under Scrutiny
There’s been a lot of speculation about Tagovailoa’s future in the NFL.
After this latest concussion, some are wondering if he might consider retiring. ESPN’s Adam Schefter mentioned that Tagovailoa would be meeting with neurologists to discuss his options.
However, Ian Rapoport from NFL Network reported that Tagovailoa has no intention of retiring at this point.
He’s already consulting with concussion specialists and will continue to do so, but there’s no set timetable for his return.
Concussion History Raises Concerns
This isn’t Tagovailoa’s first encounter with a concussion.
Last season, he suffered two concussions and a third hit that led to significant changes in the NFL’s concussion protocols.
He also experienced a concussion during his final year at Alabama.
Following his recent injury, there’s been talk that the Dolphins might consider shutting him down for the rest of the season to give him time to assess his future.
Expert Advice and Coach’s Comments
Health experts have advised Tagovailoa to think about retiring to safeguard his long-term health.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, however, has urged people to focus on Tagovailoa’s well-being rather than speculating about his future.
He emphasized that the most important thing right now is Tagovailoa’s health, and decisions about his career should be left to him.
What lies ahead for Tagovailoa and the Dolphins remains uncertain.