Thursday’s night’s contest saw the Dolphins’ record drop to 1-1 but the main takeaway was quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exiting the game with a concussion. Miami’s franchise passer has a history of head injuries, and this latest one will lead to a depth move being made. 
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said after the game that Tagovailoa – who went down late in the third quarter during a scramble which produced a collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin – will be evaluated on a day-to-day basis. Tagovailoa’s history with head injuries is a factor which will be taken into consideration when evaluating his recovery process, which does not have a timeline at this point. McDaniel added he and Tagovailoa will speak later today.
[RELATED: Assessing Dolphins’ Financial Options With Tagovailoa]
After a college career which included several ailments (one of which was a concussion), the Alabama product dealt with at least two more concussions during the 2022 campaign. That cost him five combined regular and postseason games and led to signficant changes to the NFL’s concussion protocol. The 26-year-old’s ability to progress through the protocol will now be critical as he and the team evaluate his rehab. Until more is known about Tagovailoa’s condition, no decision regarding an IR stint will be possible.
In the meantime, Miami will move forward with Skylar Thompson under center. The 2022 seventh-rounder served as third-stringer behind Mike White last season, one in which Tagovailoa remained healthy. White was let go during roster cutdowns this summer, however, paving the way for Thompson to operate as QB2 in 2024. He will be counted on to lead the offense moving forward, but the team is now eyeing an addition to serve as healthy depth.
“The team and organization are very confident in Skylar,” McDaniel said during a Friday press conference (via Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald). “There’s a reason he is our backup quarterback. We will bring in someone. I’m expecting Skylar is the next man up.”
Get dobbs
I was thinking Tannehill or Garapolo but yeah that’s better lol
With options that bad I’d be inclined to ask Fitzmagic to attempt a Flacco type comeback…lol.
I disagree with and don’t understand the Dobbs evaluations. He really does not much that Thompson does not, and I am not impressed with Thompson, either. Dobbs won’t be free, and also must learn the playbook that Thompson presumably has.
Perhaps that would be worth it, if Dobbs was an assured upgrade as a player. I really don’t think that he is, and if he is, it’s not by enough to seem worth it. His passing just doesn’t seem very good at all, and while he can manage a strong running game well enough, I don’t see how that is worth a trade to acquire him. It seems as if Thompson could do that, or a free agent of better talent or with a more proven resume, like Tannehill.
Rough outcome to that play and I hope he’s OK, but man, how can a guy with his past not slide feet first instead of charging head-first into a guy?
I think was what many people watching wondered. He already had the first down; but in that split second he went for more contact.
Did he switch to QB late in HS maybe? Seemed like a decision most QBs would not make.
@paddyo- Nope, he was named the varsity starting QB at St. Louis HS in Honolulu going into his sophomore season, then lit it up for three straight seasons, ending with an All-American senior campaign.
I should also note that he was a dual-threat QB in HS.
Running into contact in general was questionable.
The primary concern, of course, is Tua’s health. I’m no doctor and won’t pretend to be one, but this seems to be getting scary.
Of secondary concern is the viability of winning games with a with a quarterback whose name is “Skylar”.
Thank you for coming forward and letting us know “you are not a doctor” you have ended all speculation.
Looks like the Steelers fans will have to approach a different monkey to get their pain relief medications 🙂
However, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night…
Hahahaha
People said the same about Fran
How many concussions should a person be able to have on national television before they’re required to hang up the cleats
My son had a bad concussion in a basketball game in which he went head first into a wall. His neurologist said the human body can withstand three concussions in its lifetime. By my count in this article, Tua had one in college, two in 2022, and now a fourth one here in 2024.
You might want to get a new neurologist for your son. Concussions and TBIs in general are so individual to each case that giving that kind of suggestion on a concussion is borderline malpractice.
I got hit on the head with the handle of an emergency tobagan while inner tubing. Knocked me out around 12. Got many playing football. Last one was when I was officiating FB. Got hit from the side. Pulled muscles in my neck broke a tooth and started having symptoms next morning.
I had an awful headache and sensitive to light. I can no longer play or watch video games. Makes me sick to my stomach. Is weird because my neurologist will not say much about it. Seems like all my Drs don’t want to admit to much.
I guarantee I have had more than 3 2 real bad and many bad to mild. I played in the day when your bell was rung they gave you a couple plays off and sent you back in. Our helmet was a weapon and I liked the bright flash of light and taste of blood in my mouth after a great hit. I knew it hurt him more than me. Like Kevin said we all react differently to head injuries. Tua needs to be careful. He might need to go the way of Keuchley and retire early. Was sad to see Luke have to leave. Not a panther fan but he was fun to watch. Hope he is doing OK.
Three is more than enough. Remember Lyle Alzado? Concussions and steroids ruined his brain. I’m a little older than a lot of you guys and back in my day they’d just say “he got his bell rung” and he’d be back in the game a few minute later.
Those were the days. I was officiating a game and at half they came into the officials locker room and said the game is called.
One of the kids had a week or two old concussion and got hit. He was wandering around on the sideline and one of the coaches said he was supposed to be on the field and to get out there. Kid went off on the coach cussing and screaming nonsense at him. His dad was in the booth so they called him down. Way out of character for the kid.
Ended up going to ER by ambulance and had emergency brain surgery. Said if he didn’t have it within the couple hrs he did would have died. My surgeon was in the same office and ran into the Dr that did the brain surgery. Asked him about it and he said it was close. Pretty scary stuff. The way we handled concussions changed after that. Took a few iterations but got it right.
The next year officials had to take kids to the sidelines and have the coach check the kid. I took one over that had to lean on me to make it to the sideline. The coach tried to put him in the next play. I killed the play and told the coach he was done. Hard to do during a playoff game. It took coaches sometime to come around. Too many from the “ good old days”.
I remember WRs going over the middle and getting knocked out. Staff would give them smelling salts to wake them back up, then back onto the field they went.
Last night coming out of halftime offensive lineman Spencer Brown for the Buffalo Bills gave Josh Allen some smelling salt on the sidelines . I said that’s old school
Lots of athletes use smelling salts. Makes you more alert or something they think. I wonder why do that to yourself on purpose?
Back in day coaching staff would call u p#ssy n make u feel like u let team down if u didnt go back out onto field. Also we we’re denied H20 until we practiced better n that was hot n sunny California. Try that stuff today n see how it goes over ? Brain is not made for making contact w/skull n w/every new concussion its just gonna do more damage in long run. When does league step-in ?
But Dolphins fans said you had to pay him because he plays QB. Hope Tua gets all the help he needs but that was such an awful contract that will hamstring the Dolphins for years
The Dolphins are fine. If Tua retired today they are covered by an insurance policy on his money.
But not toward a salary cap.
I would suppose that the contract language allows the contract to be paid out by insurance in the case of medical retirement. In that case, the Dolphins would not have an issue with salary cap.
A division rival owner could try to sue the Dolphins to pin that salary cap to the team. I don’t think any owner wants to paint that target on his back with the other owners.
Has anybody here read Tagovailoa’s contract?
Woody Johnson, Robert Kraft, and the Pegulas aren’t about to take legal action on that point.
Besides, Stephen Ross is looking to sell a financial interest in the Dolphins to private equity a/k/a Wall Street hedge funds.
Why is this different from a back injury that keeps a player out? Its not.
Its built in risk and the reason why these contracts can be insured.
* guarantees only not full contract.
Its some mix of both as long as he on the roster though – including IR.
Link
link to cbssports.com
CBS sports has an article on it today. The options
Its right above your post!
lol.. thanks
I’m not so sure insurance would cover the contract. What insurance company would be willing to cover a known condition, in this case concussions? I’d be willing to bet there’s a concussion exclusion.
So tua is gonna retire and make out (rightfully so) with all that guaranteed money from his contract. But when Jamar chase holds out everyone says “the contracts aren’t guaranteed “ so let him sit out and get his bag. But no one seems to care when the team Hans out a massive contract and gets screwed when the player is garbage after the signing.
Well for one almost all contracts have some level of injury guarantees that extend beyond the “regular guarantees” this why when a team wants to move off a QB they sit them even without a good back up option because if they get hurt then their full salary the next year becomes guaranteed. Also unless I’m mistaken if a player retires during their contract that contract no longer affects the cap. I could be wrong on that though.
The other part is the nfl standard right now is typically 2.5 years of guaranteed money on 4-5 year deals. That makes it extremely easy for teams to get off “bad” contracts fast while players are stuck if they are out performing their contracts there is no way for them to demand more money other than to sit out. I also think you’re going to have a hard time making people feel bad about millionaires making money from Billionaires.
Retirement works the same way as a release. Guaranteed salary and pro-rated bonuses that were paid out are still on a teams cap – per google lol.
Who is saying Tua should keep the money if he retires?
A large chunk of his contact is guaranteed through injury. I highly doubt you will find almost anyone that doesn’t think he should keep it
Yeah – if he keeps playing. Retiring means you aren’t trying to play anymore.
I don’t know the specifics about his contract but if he medically forced to retire i would find it hard to believe he has to give all off that money up.
You don’t think he should get his guarantees?
Yeah, so you take the side of a billionaire v. the workers.
Always side with labor.
And yes, I don’t care. I find it funny that everyday people side with the owners like it’s their money based on a poor understanding of contract law and the CBA. Hilarious.
Not gonna cry for the owner of the Dolphins, he knew when he signed the deal this could happen.
But if there were no billionaire owners, there would be no millionaire players. It’s a symbiotic relationship.
I think this is a false binary choice.
Fair isn’t always just one side.
Im able to side with fair – as subjective as that is.
Has nothing to do with “billionairre” owners. Has everything to do with the salary cap and market prices for a starting NFL QB.
Ok, Chapo, there are a couple of things here- first and foremost, Tua got hurt earning his money from the Dolphins. Dude is literally laying his body on the line, same as any NFL player does every game. I know you said rightfully, so you’re not taking issue with Tua’s contract specifically. But the same thing really applies to Chase, or any NFL player hurt in a game. It’s a workplace injury.
Those contracts can be -and often are- insured in the event of injury, anyway.
I’m always very much in favor of players getting every single penny they can for this reason. A player’s career can end in the blink of an eye, and that’s it. The franchise will always go on. Maybe the cap is messy for a few seasons; but that’s the price of running an NFL team. You can’t just underpay guys because they might get hurt. When you start saying the game is too risky to pay players their worth, you’re essentially saying it’s too risky to play.
Tua should get all he can-but should the Dolphins have to pay for a product that they didn’t receive? Is that right?
Just to play the Devils advocate role I would counter with the argument that fans pay their hard earned money in expectation of a quality product and good consistent officiating…but are often left wanting.
I don’t know who could disagree with that take.
If Tua is cleared to return and does not – he forfeits his earnings. (Most of them anyway)
If his career ends because of this as a medical necessity – he collects the entire guaranteed sum.
Mac Jones is the only respectable move. Tanny Trash, Jameis is a viral train wreck, Dobbs probably wont hold up. Mac Jones, last year on rookie deal. Give a tryout, if it goes poorly we tried talent not garbage.
Regardless, Browns are probably not dealing Winston-based on how Watson has looked.
They should go for Jones. It would be a far better situation for him than New England.
Jones is a Jaguar.
His always solid trade bait. His a f***ing back…his a Jaguar…don’t mean d**k all
Dude you need some help.
Mac Jones might do fine on this Dolphin team with his old college receiver Jaylen Waddle and with Mike McDaniels to coach him. The poor offensive line wouldn’t suit Jones though. Jones is just not that mobile, and doesn’t do especially well under continuous pressure (few do).
Mac Jones is not available cos he signed with Jacksonville to back up Trevor Lawrence.
Pundits who should know better are floating Ryan Fitzpatrick and … are you ready? … Tom Brady.
Tom Brady, even in his current form, is probably the best quarterback available. The Dolphins are potentially a playoff team, so Brady might bite.
Ps don’t post if you don’t know football…he didn’t sign…he was traded…learn to read
I would rather have Mike White than Mac Jones
He’s parked in the Bills PS and likely one of their protected players
The Bills are the last team to do Miami a favour and give them back last year’s backup QB. I’m sure Mike White is being elevated as we speak.
This offensive scheme should be able to sustain any accurate QB.
I state the obvious as a segue to paraphrasing:
“It’s so easy, even Zach Wilson could do it”
Dobbs would have a blast throwing to these receivers. Tannehill back again?
The Bills scored 31 points on just 45 offensive plays. Looks like the Dolphins decision to torpedo Vic Fangio was brilliant…lol.
The Dolphins defense was not the problem; the Bills only had 247 yards. It was the Dolphins offense that was the problem: Tua’s 3 picks.
Apart from Tua’s concussion, Buffalo again exposed Miami for the way the Dolphins play. S-A-W-F-T.
The Bills slowed the game once they got up, yet they still moved the ball easily on Miami. Defense didn’t stop them even though they were running out the clock.
Tyler Huntley off the Ravens practice squad?
Tua is such a likeable guy – this sucks.
As a Bills fan, Im always rooting against him, but not like this.
167m guaranteed!!!! I’m walking away & enjoying what life I have left before my brain completely turns to mush.
Either retire or force him to wear guardian cap if they believe in that so much. I think he already has a special helmet but try to double up, even though cap has no chin protection. Tua brain resembling a Hawaiian Roll
What the hell was Tua thinking? Diving headfirst into a defender rather than sliding? That’s dumb for any QB but even more so for a QB with a history of concussions. I’m sure Mike McDaniels wanted to puke when he saw that move.
Gucci DiNucci
If he ever plays again he’s an imbecile.
Mike White
Why hasn’t he chosen to wear those helmets with the special padding that the teams wear in the preseason practices? It’s an option for the players to wear them during the regular season, and some players have worn them this year so far. With his concussion history, I just think it would be a guarantee he’d be wearing one. Again, I know it’s not a lot or protection… but it’s more then he’s getting just wearing his regular helmet.
How funny that no one has mentioned that Tua speared Damar Hamlin in the chest – the same Damar Hamlin that collapsed and died on the field following the same kind of chest-to-helmet hit in Cincinnati less than two years ago.
Could the Dolphins sign Mike White off the Bills practice squad since he knows the system?
It would the logical move-if Buffalo allows it, which I’m sure they’ve anticipated.