Difficult Times Ahead For Dolphins As Concussed Tua Tagovailoa Heads To Injured Reserve
The idea that the Miami Dolphins wouldn't place a timeline on Tua Tagovailoa's return from a concussion is still appropriate, but we're starting to understand the quarterback's return is definitely going to take a while.
The club placed Tagovailoa on the injured reserve list Tuesday, an expected but nonetheless seismic move.
Tagovailoa Gets 5 Weeks To Recover
So, Tagovailoa must miss the next four games under NFL injured reserve rules. That means the earliest the quarterback can return to the lineup – assuming that's what doctors allow – is Oct. 27 against the Arizona Cardinals.
Tagovailoa will definitely miss Sunday's game at the Seattle Seahawks, Miami's Sept. 30 game against the Tennessee Titans, the Oct. 6 game at the New England Patriots, and the Oct. 20 game at the Indianapolis Colts.
This, believe it or not, is a good time for Tagovailoa to go on injured reserve.
That's because while he must definitely miss four games, he'll get five weeks off because the Dolphins have their scheduled bye the week of Oct. 7-13.
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (1) left Thursday's game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium with 4:36 left in the third quarter after taking a hard hit from a Bills defender, Sept. 12, 2024, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Here's What It Means
And what does this all mean?
Well, for Tagovailoa, it means he'll have time to visit the neurological specialists he deems correct, to get the best care and consideration in the aftermath of what is officially his third concussion since 2022.
In that time, Tagovailoa will hear from the medical experts whether he is cleared from the NFL concussion protocol and is allowed to play again, whether he should stay away longer, or whether he cannot be cleared and thus cannot play again.
The Dolphins are not commenting on the record or privately about what they hope will happen. Again, they are placing no timeline on Tagovailoa's return beyond the IR period.
The Dolphins are so far following coach Mike McDaniel's wishes to let the entire process play out without any apparent pressure from the team.
It is clear Tagovailoa would like to return to play. But, again, it's not entirely his call.
Sep 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) throws the football against the Buffalo Bills during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Skylar Thompson To The Rescue?
So what do the Dolphins do in the meantime?
And by that, I mean, other than try to weather a terrible storm of losing the starting quarterback for at least a month of games?
They initially have decided to give the reins of the offense to backup Skylar Thompson, who has three NFL starts to his credit.
Thompson took over for Tagovailoa at the end of the 2022 regular season and completed 57.1 percent of his throws with 1 TD and 3 interceptions as Miami split the two starts.
Thompson then started a playoff game against the Buffalo Bills and the Dolphins lost that game as Thompson completed 40 percent of his passes in the game with 1 TD and 2 interceptions.
No, that doesn't suggest greatness is afoot.
But the Dolphins are optimistic Thompson is better almost two years later. They're hopeful he can function in McDaniel's offense at a certain satisfactory level.
Aug 23, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins quarterback Skylar Thompson (19) throws the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
And now the truth: It's obviously not going to be as good as Tagovailoa.
The Dolphins are likely to watch their quick-strike offense struggle with inconsistency because the quarterback running it is young and not experienced and needing games.
The question is not going to be whether Thompson is inconsistent. It's going to be to what degree Thompson is inconsistent.
If it's still good enough for Miami to remain competitive and perhaps salvage a couple of games, then all is fine.
But …
If Thompson fails, the Dolphins are in trouble.
And if Thompson fails, as the team learns Tagovailoa has to miss more than four games, Miami's season will be on the brink before October is over.
Sep 12, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel looks on from the field before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Dolphins Activity At Trade Deadline
The latter scenario strongly suggests the Dolphins might be active before the NFL trade deadline.
The club's personnel department has had meetings to identify possible moves to make at quarterback. The first answer from those meetings was signing Tyler Huntley off the Baltimore Ravens practice squad.
But McDaniel made it clear in a recent press conference the Huntley addition is not meant as insurance should Thompson fail.
"This was not a move to in any way, shape or form out of anything not that has to do with Skylar," the coach said. "Our team going all the way back to his first rep in rookie minicamp as a rookie, to down the stretch of the 2022 season, to what he was able to do to win the No. 2 job, this is not in any direct reflection to Skylar as Tua's backup.
"This is more for the depth."
By that logic, if Thompson fails, and Tagovailoa remains unavailable, the Dolphins might go looking for other help at quarterback.
Not Going To Be Tom Brady
Handing the job to Huntley and hoping he's the Tagovailoa replacement and someone who might save the season is wishful thinking, after all.
So who might someone else be to save the season?
Yeah, nobody.
Nobody is saving the Dolphins if Tagovailoa remains out a longer period and Thompson isn't up to the job of keeping the offense afloat.
Tom Brady is not coming to the Miami Dolphins, sources close to the former Patriots and Buccaneers quarterback have told OutKick.
And anyone else the team thinks about, in the midst of losing multiple games with Thompson, is going to require a ramp-up period to learn McDaniel's offense. The only possible exception to that is someone who has played in the Kyle Shanahan offensive system that McDaniel runs in Miami.
Someone like Jimmy Garoppolo, perhaps. Good luck with that. The Dolphins down to Plan C or Plan D will be in trouble.
They need Plan B (Skylar Thompson) to perform until Plan A (Tagovailoa) is back in play.
Assuming Tagovailoa manages to get back in play.