The Miami Dolphins have officially placed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve following his concussion during the 2024 Week 2 home game against the Buffalo Bills.
It was an expected move after Tagovailoa manifested signs of a concussion after running through Bills safety Damar Hamlin to get the first down. Considering his impressive 2023 season and his four-year, $212.4 million contract extension, it's an unfortunate turn of events.
Since it’s not the first time he has dealt with the concussion protocol, football fans, and experts have discussed the possibility of his retirement as a professional football player at 26. However, several reports revealed that hanging his cleats for good is an option that Tagovailoa won’t consider now.
Before his recent concussion, he dealt with the same condition in their 2022 Week 3 game against the Bills. He briefly checked out of the game before returning to action after what team physicians described as a back injury. Instead, the league launched an investigation following an alleged violation of concussion protocol by the Dolphins.
Tagovailoa also dealt with concussions in their 2022 Week 4 game against the Cincinnati Bengals and their Christmas Day game versus the Green Bay Packers. He missed four regular season games that year and did not participate in the Dolphins’ postseason game against Buffalo.
Dolphins are placing QB Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve, per source. He now will be out of minimum before four games.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 17, 2024
After a relatively healthy 2023 season in which he led the league in passing yards, Tagovailoa’s concussion issues resurfaced. The Dolphins signed Tyler Huntley off the Baltimore Ravens practice squad to compensate for his absence. Huntley and Skylar Thompson will compete for the starting quarterback role, which Tagovailoa will vacate for at least four weeks.
-Lance Fernandez