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Tua Tagovailoa

Notable 2023 Pro Bowl Incentives

December 21st, 2022 at 9:22pm CST by Ben Levine

The NFL announced their 2023 Pro Bowl rosters this evening. Besides the ability to list the accolade on their career resume (plus the monetary bonus that comes from participating in and winning the game), many players had a financial incentive for wanting a Pro Bowl nod. We’ve collected some of the notable Pro Bowl contract incentives below, most via ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter (unless noted).

Geno Smith‘s contract bonus came via a specific incentive that required not only Pro Bowl recognition but 20 touchdown passes, according to Yates (on Twitter). Smith hit that TD mark back in Week 13. The impending free agent is set to cash in following a breakout campaign during his age-32 season.

Dolphins cornerback Xavien Howard has a more complex bonus worked into his contract. According to CBS Sports’ Joel Corry (on Twitter), Howard is one step closer to earning a $1MM bonus thanks to his Pro Bowl nod, but he’ll also need Miami to improve in either wins, points allowed, TDs allowed, total defense, interceptions, average net yards allowed per rushing play, or turnover margin.

Speaking of the Dolphins, the organization saved a chunk of future money since one of their players didn’t make the Pro Bowl roster. As Daniel Oyefusi of the Miami Herald tweets, Tua Tagovailoa‘s fifth-year option would have increased from $22MM to $28MM if he earned a Pro Bowl nod.

Injury Rumors: Ingram, Tagovailoa, Sutton, Joseph-Day

December 7th, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Ely Allen

Saints running back Mark Ingram has likely seen his 2022 season come to an end, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The soon-to-be 33-year-old is set to tie a ribbon on his lowest single season of production in 12 seasons of NFL play.

Ingram suffered a slight MCL tear in the team’s Monday night loss to the Buccaneers. The injury usually requires a recovery period of around four to six weeks. With five weeks remaining in the season, it’s extremely unlikely that Ingram will find his way back to the field in the regular season. Despite the Saints currently sitting at last place in the NFC South at 4-9, they are only 2.5 games behind the first-place Buccaneers (6-6). If they can win some games and catch some good luck in the form of losses by their division rivals, New Orleans could still find itself in the playoffs as the NFC South champion. Otherwise, Ingram’s 2022 season is likely concluded.

Ingram returned to his longtime home of New Orleans after two years in Baltimore and half a season in Houston, accepting his No. 2 role in the lineup behind star running back Alvin Kamara. Ingram has served as a reliable second option in the backfield for the Saints, who will now have to turn to Dwayne Washington to fill that role.

Here are a few other injury rumors from around the league, starting with an MVP candidate looking to keep a strong season going:

  • Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa exited the team’s loss to the 49ers last week late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury. Already down 33-17 at the time of the injury, there was no use in forcing the young quarterback back into play, although, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, he could’ve returned to the game, if necessary. The news is a good sign for the Dolphins and Tagovailoa as the injury is likely not significant. As of today, all signs are pointing to Tagovailoa being able to start Sunday night against the quarterback who was drafted one pick after him in the 2020 NFL Draft, Justin Herbert, and the Chargers.
  • The Broncos can’t seem to catch a break at the wide receiver position. Shortly after seeing starting wideout Jerry Jeudy return to the field against the Ravens last week, Denver saw its other starting wide receiver, Courtland Sutton, leave the game late in the second quarter with a hamstring injury, according to Parker Gabriel of The Denver Post. Sutton would sit out the rest of game with a noticeable limp. He’s also expected to be unavailable for the team’s matchup with the Chiefs this weekend, according to Mike Klis of 9NEWS. With Sutton and KJ Hamler out this week, the Broncos will continue to field a receiving corps that, after Jeudy, boasts the likes of Kendall Hinton, Brandon Johnson, Montrell Washington, and Jalen Virgil.
  • Chargers defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day suffered a knee injury in this weekend’s loss to the division rival Raiders. Luckily, head coach Brandon Staley told the media that Joseph-Day likely avoided major injury and has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain, according to ESPN’s Lindsey Thiry. The team will continue to monitor the situation and will know more about his status in the next few days.

Dolphins Planning To Start Tua Tagovailoa In Week 7

October 17th, 2022 at 4:26pm CST by Sam Robinson

Injury-induced quarterback shuffling has defined the Dolphins’ season thus far, with Teddy Bridgewater replacing Skylar Thompson against the Vikings. But the team hopes that chapter is over.

The Dolphins are planning to reinstall Tua Tagovailoa as their starter in Week 7, Mike McDaniel said Monday. Tagovailoa will practice as Miami’s starter this week. The third-year passer has missed two full games and parts of two more this season.

Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol — one his early-season injury saga helped reshape — Saturday morning, but the Dolphins held him out of their Week 6 loss to the Vikings. Miami has seen each of its three quarterbacks leave games with injuries this season, and while Tagovailoa’s situation proved far more severe than Bridgewater’s or Thompson’s, the team will greenlight his return.

Tua returning from what the team called a back injury in Week 3 set off a firestorm of concussion-related drama, with many believing the Alabama product sustained a head injury and was nevertheless sent onto the field soon after. The Dolphins consistently denied this, but the sequence produced an NFLPA investigation and led to changes to the league’s concussion protocol. A more stringent setup now exists regarding head injuries, and Tagovailoa — who was carted off the field in Cincinnati after a concussion — will play under the new guidelines.

As Tagovailoa recovered from the scary Week 4 injury, the Dolphins and Tua’s team of independent doctors “followed a thorough process that far exceeded the NFL’s concussion protocol,” leading to unanimous clearance, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter. This brought more health-related trouble for the former No. 5 overall pick, who saw a severe hip injury during his junior season at Alabama alter his draft status. The Dolphins still took him with their top 2019 choice, though injuries have followed. None were like this, though, and the NFL is operating differently as a result.

His return will undoubtedly be a major talking point as Week 7 approaches. The Dolphins being set for a nationally televised matchup against the Steelers will compound that. From a football standpoint, however, this is obviously big news for the team. Miami is 3-0 in games Tagovailoa finishes and 0-3 with another signal-caller doing so. Albeit on a limited sample size compared to most starting quarterbacks this season, Tua’s 80.0 QBR number still leads the league.

Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa, Teddy Bridgewater Clear Concussion Protocol

October 15th, 2022 at 9:29am CST by Ben Levine

Skylar Thompson is expected to start for the Dolphins tomorrow, but the team’s other quarterbacks got some good news today regarding their health. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Tua Tagovailoa cleared concussion protocol this morning. The starting QB will still be sidelined for tomorrow’s game against the Vikings, but he should be good to go for Week 7 against the Steelers.

Schefter adds (on Twitter) that Teddy Bridgewater also cleared concussion protocol today. Bridgewater is expected to be in uniform for Sunday’s contest, but he’ll serve as the backup to Thompson.

Tua’s late-September concussion kicked off an NFL investigation regarding the team’s handling of the head injury. However, sources made it clear to Schefter that the organization went above and beyond to assure he was healthy enough to clear protocol. Specifically, the Dolphins, the QB, and “his team of independent doctors followed a thorough process that far exceeded the NFL’s concussion protocol,” per Schefter’s source. In addition to advice from team doctors, Tua also referred to four outside opinions “who unanimously cleared him from protocol and all agreed that his scans showed no signs of long-term impact on the brain.” Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter), Tua traveled to Detroit and Pittsburgh to meet with doctors, and the QB suffered no setbacks during the process.

Bridgewater was never diagnosed with a concussion but was still required to go through the NFL’s protocol. Both Bridgewater and Tagovailoa were spotted at practice this week, and indication that their return was imminent.

While the Dolphins will soon get reinforcement at the position, they’ll be rolling with a rookie seventh-round pick this weekend. Thompson entered last weekend’s loss to the Jets and completed 19 of his 33 pass attempts for 166 yards and one interception. He also lost one fumble. With Thompson eyeing his first NFL start, he received a ringing endorsement from head coach Mike McDaniel.

“We were really excited to draft him,” McDaniel said (via NFL.com’s Grant Gordon). “That was a target of ours that we had on our mind. We didn’t have a plethora of draft selections, so it was easy to hone in on people and we were targeting him for a long time. And that being said, he’s exceeded expectations.”

Dolphins Plan To Start QB Skylar Thompson In Week 6

October 12th, 2022 at 10:04am CST by Sam Robinson

Tua Tagovailoa and Teddy Bridgewater remain in concussion protocol. The protocol changes brought on by Tagovailoa’s injury helped lead Bridgewater out of the Dolphins’ Week 5 game. As of now, it does not look like either will be back in Week 6.

Mike McDaniel said Wednesday rookie seventh-rounder Skylar Thompson is expected to be Miami’s starting quarterback against Minnesota in Week 6. Although McDaniel did not guarantee Tagovailoa would miss a second straight game, that is the expectation.

McDaniel added (via NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe, on Twitter) that Bridgewater clearing the protocol before Sunday would likely mean he is Thompson’s backup, flipping the roles from Week 5. Had Bridgewater’s concussion not occurred, the veteran would certainly be in position to start against the Vikings. But the former Minnesota first-round pick has now sustained three concussions over the past two years. The Dolphins exercising caution here is unsurprising, given recent events.

Tagovailoa, whose quick return from a Week 3 injury ignited a firestorm that led to the NFL and NFLPA agreeing on new protocols regarding players who show concussion-like symptoms, is expected to resume throwing Wednesday, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. While it does appear the 2020 first-round pick is on the right track, McDaniel said Monday no timetable exists for a return.

After going down with a concussion in a scary Week 4 scene, Tagovailoa has consulted with four independent specialists, per NFL.com. He increased his cardio and strength work over the weekend. It certainly looks like the Alabama product is on his way to returning — perhaps before the midseason point — but this injury has undeniably altered Miami’s season and changed the NFL.

McDaniel viewing Thompson on a full week of practices as a better option than a limited Bridgewater, as the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson notes (via Twitter), is interesting. Bridgewater, however, missed three full games and parts of two others due to concussions in 2021. The league’s previous protocol allowed Bridgewater to return from a Sunday concussion in time to play a Thursday-night game in Cleveland last year. The ninth-year passer’s latest setback came on his first snap against the Jets. Independent spotters’ observations led to Bridgewater’s removal, one that obviously changed the Dolphins’ outlook against their AFC East rivals.

A Kansas City, Mo., native who excelled at Kansas State, Thompson went off the board 247th in this year’s draft. His surprise debut produced a 19-for-33 completion rate and 166 passing yards. While Thompson threw a touchdown pass, he committed two turnovers that helped key a Jets onslaught. The Jets’ 40-17 win represented their biggest margin of victory over the Dolphins in 15 years. A second Thompson start would certainly play into the Vikings’ hands Sunday in Miami, giving the Dolphins a greater chance to fall from 3-0 to 3-3.

NFL, NFLPA Agree On Concussion Protocols, Conclude Investigation

October 8th, 2022 at 3:50pm CST by Ely Allen

OCTOBER 8: In response to the pleas of the NFLPA, the NFL has agreed to the terms of the new NFL-NFLPA Concussion Evaluation and Management Protocol, which will be in effect for this weekend’s slate of games, as first reported by ESPN’s Chris Mortensen.

The changes that were agreed upon added “ataxia,” defined as an “abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue,” to a list of mandatory “no-go” symptoms, according to the two parties’ joint statement, first released by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

The joint statement also seems to announce the conclusions of the investigation into Tagovailoa’s situation:

“While the investigation determined that the team medical staff and unaffiliated medical professionals followed the steps of the Protocol as written, the NFL and NFLPA agree that the outcome in this case is not what was intended when the Protocols were drafted.”

This essentially states that the individuals involved in clearing Tagovailoa were able to circumvent the intentions of the concussion protocol to return the quarterback to the field without explicitly disobeying any guidelines of the protocol. This obvious loophole, which allowed alternative causes of gross motor instability to help a player return to play despite showing symptoms of a neurological issue, was what both parties agreed to address in updating the protocol.

From this point on, any player “diagnosed with ‘ataxia’ by any club or neutral physician involved in the application of the Concussion Protocol…will be prohibited from returning to the game, and will receive the follow-up care required by the Protocol.”

It’s wishful thinking, but perhaps this will neatly wrap up the situation surrounding Tagovailoa and the concussion protocol. The flaws in the protocol were addressed, the responsible parties who put Tagovailoa in danger were punished, and the NFL and NFLPA were able to come to an agreement on the conclusions of both situations. It certainly is not the end of health and mental health concerns in the NFL, but it lays a groundwork for how to handle these situations in the future.

OCTOBER 7: There have been some interesting updates in the past couple of days to the situations surrounding both the progress of changing the NFL’s concussion protocols and the progress of the case surrounding the league’s handling of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa‘s injury. Yesterday, former All-Pro cornerback and current member of the NFL Players Association’s Executive Committee Richard Sherman put forth the committee’s belief that “the concussion protocols were not followed” in Tagovailoa’s case, according to Mike Florio of NBC Sports. 

Both the NFL and the NFLPA reportedly hoped to announce the results of their investigation before this week’s Thursday night football game, but, since the two parties have yet to come to an agreement on what transpired or what consequences will result, no announcement was made. Sherman made the union’s opinion known and reiterated that they would like for “the players to be treated like patients, not like football players who are intent on being cleared to play football as quickly as possible.” Sherman questioned the NFL’s medical doctor’s stance that an “abundance of caution” was utilized, questioning what “an aggressive approach” would look like.

If the two sides are unable to reach an agreement about what occurred and what should be done about it, the NFLPA will be able to file a grievance which may lead to an arbitration to resolve the case. The investigation “remains ongoing and no resolution is imminent,” according to a tweet from Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

There seems to be more agreement and collaboration concerning the proposed new concussion protocols. A statement from the NFLPA, first reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network, states that the “union has agreed to change the concussion protocols to protect players from returning to play in the case of any similar incident” to what was seen with Tagovailoa. The statement also puts forth a desire that the new protocols be put into effect as soon as possible, before the weekend’s slate of NFL games, and urges the league to accept the change in protocol, as well, in time to make that happen.

A statement from the NFL in response to the NFLPA’s statement, and first reported by Pelissero, seems to agree without really agreeing. The statement says that the league agrees “that changes to the joint NFL-NFLPA protocols are necessary to further enhance player safety,” but doesn’t say outright that they agree to the proposed changes. They also don’t blatantly state that they will put the changes into effect, instead claiming that they have “spoken to members of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee and the leadership of the Unaffiliated Neurotrauma Consultants and Independent Certified Athletic Trainers who serve as spotters to discuss these likely changes.”

The proposed changes center on essentially closing the “loophole” on gross motor instability. The NFL has agreed to modify the protocols but has yet to approve the final language. Their responding statement seems to be an attempt to temper the expectations of the Players Association. While it would be ideal to implement the new protocol as soon as this weekend, the actual process of ensuring the protocol is applied consistently across the league requires re-training all involved members of the medical parties listed above in the NFL’s statement.

The league seems to be attempting to show the NFLPA that they are working towards implementing the necessary changes as soon as possible, without guaranteeing that there will be no bumps on the road of that implementation this weekend. The wheels appear to be in motion towards change, but the road is a bit longer than most would have hoped and requires a bit more time to travel.

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa Out For Week 5; Teddy Bridgewater To Start

October 3rd, 2022 at 2:31pm CST by Adam La Rose

Tua Tagovailoa has been at the center of concussion discussions around the league in recent days, and the Dolphins have made an unsurprising decision with the quarterback. Head coach Mike McDaniel announced on Monday that Tagovailoa will not play in Miami’s Week 5 game, meaning that veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater will get the start. 

“I can comfortably say he’ll be out for this game against the Jets, but anything beyond that, we’re just focused on making sure he’s at optimal health and then crossing that bridge,” McDaniel said, via Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer (Twitter link). “So it’s a little early for definitive timelines.”

Tagovailoa was carted off the field during last Thursday’s game against the Bengals with a concussion. That, in turn, came four days after he suffered what he and the team termed a back injury which caused him to notably stumble. An investigation into the team’s handling of the situation remains ongoing, but it has already had notable consequences.

The unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who was involved in the 24-year-old’s case has been terminated by the NFLPA. In addition, changes are being finalized to the league’s concussion protocols which are aimed at avoiding a repeat of his situation. In the meantime, attention is turning to Tagovailoa’s long-term health.

McDaniel reiterated his confidence in the team’s medical staff, adding that their decision on Tagovailoa’s return will depend on the new protocols, which could take effect as early as this week (Twitter links via Adam Beasley of Pro Football Network). With the timeline for his return uncertain, it remains to be seen if the Alabama alum will be placed on IR.

For at least this week, though, Bridgewater will prepare for his first start in Miami. The 29-year-old threw for 193 yards, one touchdown and one interception in relief of Tagovailoa on Thursday. The game against the Jets will mark his first start since his one-year stints as a stop-gap with the Panthers in 2020 and the Broncos in 2021. Known for his consistent, if underwhelming, levels of production, his ability to lead a much-improved Dolphins offense will be worth watching.

Backing up Bridgewater will be seventh-round rookie Skylar Thompson, who impressed during training camp and the preseason. The Dolphins also added extra depth behind them, by re-signing former UDFA Reid Sinnett to the practice squad.

Latest On Amended Concussion Protocols

October 2nd, 2022 at 7:57pm CST by Ely Allen

The league is inching closer to officially amending its concussion protocol, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero. The update, provided by NFL chief medical officer Dr. Allen Sills, reports that the NFL and the Players Association are “still discussing final language and unintended consequences” of the new concussion protocol. 

The assumption is that the changes that require specific language to avoid unintended consequences would be the ongoing discussions over “gross motor instability” and its interpretation. Unchanged, the current protocols allow what happened with Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. In Tagovailoa’s situation, the team was able to pinpoint a back injury as the source of Tagovailoa’s stumbling, allowing him to return to the game despite the fact that he underwent concussion protocols in the days after the game leading up to the Thursday night contest.

The amended protocols would not allow the stumbling to be assigned to an injury that would permit a player to return to a game. Instead, any displayed gross motor instability would result in a player being removed from a game. While it sounds like that could set a dangerous precedent wherein anybody who trips and falls is taken out of the game, that’s exactly why the NFLPA and the league are spending so much time on the language to avoid “unintended consequences.”

The amendment is also intended to err on the conservative side. Dr. Sills was quoted saying, “Our goal is to get them out and not let them play.” He emphasized that, despite the firing of the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant that cleared Tagovailoa to return from his first injury, the team physicians “have the final say in diagnosing concussions and return to play.” He also posits that there is “no team doctor anywhere in the league who’s going with a differing opinion.”

Dr. Sills put forth that the new protocols could go into effect as soon as Week 5 of this season. He cautioned, though, that there should be an emphasis on educating how to apply the new protocol consistently league-wide: from team physicians to UNC’s to certified athletic trainers who are employed to spot potential head trauma.

As for Tagovailoa’s case and the investigation into the situation, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that Tagovailoa is expected to be interviewed about the sequence of events last week. Schefter reports also that the investigation is expected to continue for another week or two and that the results of the investigation are still expected to be announced “almost immediately after” the investigation has concluded.

NFL, NFLPA Agree To Amend Concussion Protocols

October 1st, 2022 at 10:20pm CST by Adam La Rose

In the wake of the controversy surrounding Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the team’s handling of his injuries this week, the NFL and NFLPA have agreed to make changes to the league’s in-game concussion protocols.

A joint statement released on Saturday reads, “The joint NFL-NFLPA investigation into the application of the Concussion Protocol involving Miami Dolphins’ quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remains ongoing. Therefore, we have not made any conclusions about medical errors or protocol violations.”

While that remains true, the investigation has already led to the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant involved in Tagovailoa’s case being terminated by the player’s union. A number of “mistakes” were cited as the reason that action was taken; adding more detail on that front, Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL Network report that the UNC was fired due to “his failure to understand his role and hostility during the investigation process.”

At the center of the controversy is the fact that, under current protocols, the matter of “gross motor instability” being showed by players is subject to interpretation with respect to its cause. In Tagovailoa’s case on Sunday, his notable stumble after taking a hit was ultimately deemed a back injury, rather than a concussion. After the amended protocols come into effect, however, any player demonstrating a similar loss of balance will automatically be ruled out, regardless of team medical staff’s determinations on the specifics of an injury.

“The NFL and the NFLPA agree that modifications to the Concussion Protocol are needed to enhance player safety,” the statement continues. It adds that the league and union “share a strong appreciation for the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultants who contribute their time and expertise to our game solely to advance player safety. This program has made our game safer for the athletes who play if for the past twelve seasons.”

The amendments are expected to be formally ratified in the coming days, and could take effect in time for Week 5. Over the course of the remaining games on this week’s slate, though, teams will no doubt proceed with enhanced caution in the event of any head injuries which take place.

Rapoport and Pelissero add, meanwhile, that Tagovailoa (who has been in concussion protocol since being carted off the field on Thursday) has undergone a series of tests, all of which have “come back clean.” By the time he is cleared to return, new regulations will likely officially be in place to try and ensure a repeat of his situation does not occur.

Latest On NFLPA Investigation Into Tua Tagovailoa Concussion Protocol

October 1st, 2022 at 2:11pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFLPA’s investigation into the handling of Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa last Sunday is still ongoing, but its first major development appears to have taken place. The union has terminated the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who was among the personnel who cleared Tagovailoa to return to the Week 3 game against the Bills, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. 

Tagovailoa notably stumbled after a hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano, but ultimately cleared concussion protocol and finished the contest. Not long after the game, it was revealed that the NFLPA would open a formal investigation into the team’s compliance with NFL policies regarding concussion checks; of particular importance was the matter of whether Tagovailoa’s imbalance was neurologically caused, something which would have disqualified him from being allowed to return.

That process involved interviews with both the UNC and the Dolphins’ team physician, which took place yesterday (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero). Per CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones, the former was found to have made “several mistakes” while clearing Tagovailoa to return in the second half of Sunday’s game (Twitter link). Both the Alabama alum himself and head coach Mike McDaniel remarked that a back injury was the cause of his discomfort, though he was tested for concussion symptoms every day in the build-up to Thursday’s matchup against the Bengals.

In that game, Tagovailoa’s head hit the turf after being sacked, and he was carted off the field and taken to a local hospital. Since diagnosed with a concussion, the injury (and the questions surrounding his health leading up to the game) has led NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith to threaten legal action against the medical personnel involved in this situation.

The fact that the UNC has been fired stands in stark contrast to the early indication that the Dolphins were fully compliant with league protocols. Further investigation will take place, though the emphasis will remain on the actions of those involved, as opposed to the strength of the protocols themselves (Twitter link via Mark Maske of the Washington Post). With the final outcome of the probe set to be made public, more is yet to come in this story.

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