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The Miami Dolphins have placed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve following a concussion he suffered during Thursday’s loss to the Buffalo Bills. Under NFL rules, Tagovailoa will miss at least four games while he focuses on recovery, though the team has not set a specific timeline for his return.
Related Content: Why Tua Tagovailoa’s Injury Is More Than Just a Concussion
Third NFL Concussion
This marks the third diagnosed concussion of Tagovailoa’s NFL career.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel initially held off on making the IR decision until more information was available, but after further evaluation, the team made it official on Tuesday. To bolster their depth at quarterback, the Dolphins signed Tyler Huntley from the Baltimore Ravens’ practice squad. According to NFL rules, Huntley will be on Miami’s 53-man roster for at least the next three games.
“We got to learn firsthand a nice reminder of how it only takes one play and what you think your depth is changes abruptly,” McDaniel said. “So that’s a move for moving forward to secure some depth in case of the unforeseen, which is timelines for us as it relates to Tua.”
Thompson to Start
Third-year quarterback Skylar Thompson will start Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Thompson did not play in the 2023 season but started three games as a rookie in 2022, including a playoff game against the Bills. McDaniel said that signing Huntley “was not any direct reflection on Skylar” but a move to ensure the team has options.
Huntley, who has started 10 games in his four-year NFL career, was named to the Pro Bowl in 2022 after leading the Ravens to the playoffs in place of Lamar Jackson. He also started Baltimore’s playoff game against the Cincinnati Bengals last year.
“I do think that it helps the dynamics of the [quarterbacks] room to add another guy with starting history to this team,” McDaniel said of Huntley. “He’s a guy that’s a signal-caller that a team can get behind. … I think this is more directly to back up Skylar, and then you always let competition play out when it’s out on the field. But this is a depth move, for sure.”
Tagovailoa’s Injury History
Tagovailoa’s injury occurred while he was scrambling for a first down and collided with the forearm of Bills safety Damar Hamlin. After the hit, Tagovailoa showed immediate signs of a concussion, prompting medical staff to attend to him for several minutes. Though he was able to walk off the field, he was quickly ruled out for the rest of the game.
With this injury, Tagovailoa’s total games missed due to injury since 2020 will reach 14. Despite his injury history, he played all 18 of the Dolphins’ regular-season and playoff games in 2023.
This report used information from ESPN.
