There is no doubt that Tua Tagovailoa wants to continue playing football, but the question of whether he will has not quite been his decision to make. It appears that it may be falling back into his hands.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, it is not a matter of if Tua will play for the Miami Dolphins in 2024 but when. Schefter spoke prior to the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets game on Monday Night Football and discussed the latest on Tagovailoa’s situation.

Earlier in the day, Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel said he expects Tua to be back in 2024.

While McDaniel was vague, it looks like he may be playing a sneaky game of not letting the cat out of the bag. McDaniel confirmed that Tua will not play this week, but we already knew that, as he can’t return until Week 8 at the earliest.

Tua Tagovailoa expected to return for Dolphins sooner rather than later

Schefter said that Tua has visited neurologists around the country and that all indications are that he has been told that he can continue to keep playing. That is good news for Tua. Schefter also said that he expects Tua to be back sooner rather than later.

Ultimately, this was always going to be Tagovailoa’s decision to make. Now, the question is when he will clear the protocols for the NFL and be allowed to return.

It is important to know that the NFL concussion protocols and injured reserve are two different things. The Dolphins didn’t have to put Tua on IR, and he would not have been able to play until he cleared those guidelines. Even if the Dolphins bring him back from IR, he will still need to clear protocols.

This has been an ongoing issue with Tua since he suffered the concussions in 2022. Once he returns to the field, the next question is whether or not Tua can pick up the team and lead them to wins. Will he be hesitant to take on contact? Those are legitimate concerns that only Tua can answer.