Miami Dolphins star quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is reportedly getting very close to a return to action.
Tua Tagovailoa has missed Miami’s last three games recovering from a concussion he suffered in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills. It was the third diagnosed concussion of his career, and the Dolphins subsequently placed him on the injured reserve.
Tagovailoa will be eligible to return from the IR following Sunday’s Week 7 road game against the Indianapolis Colts. And according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini, the Dolphins hope he’ll be able to return next week against the Arizona Cardinals:
“Head coach Mike McDaniel, who has a close relationship with his quarterback, shared with his team that Tua’s practice window opens up Wednesday, and the quarterback is expected to practice. As long as there are no setbacks, the hope is for Tagovailoa to play in the Week 8 game against the Arizona Cardinals…
This time also allowed the Dolphins and Tagovailoa to step away and discuss next steps while he was seeing multiple specialists and undergoing tests. I’m told he has not had any lingering issues from the concussion and would play right now if he could, though the required time off was helpful for the team and player. They were able to avoid fluid timelines and erase any additional pressure on Tagovailoa to return.”
The Dolphins were crushed 31-10 by the Bills in Week 2 after Skylar Thompson was forced to replace Tagovailoa. Miami dropped their next two games in lopsided affairs, 24-3 vs. the Seattle Seahawks and 31-12 against the Tennessee Titans.
The Dolphins rebounded with a close 15-10 victory against the AFC East rival New England Patriots in Week 5 to keep their playoff hopes alive. Even if Miami falls to 2-4 on Sunday, they can take comfort in knowing that Tua Tagovailoa is inching closer to a return.
Miami’s upcoming schedule is awfully manageable with the 2-4 Cardinals coming to town next week. After visiting Buffalo in Week, the Dolphins will play the Los Angeles Rams (currently 1-5) in SoFi Stadium before returning home against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) and the Patriots (1-5).
Tua Tagovailoa’s Return Can Save Miami’s Season
Tagovailoa is one of the more polarizing quarterbacks in football, but the stats don’t lie. The Miami offense is an absolute juggernaut when he’s on the field, and a bottom-tier unit when he’s not.
A healthy Tagovailoa makes all the difference for Miami. There’s no easy way of stopping an offense led by him, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, De’Von Achane and Raheem Mostert. If he’s back by next week, Miami’s playoff hopes will be alive and well again.
