Tua Back in Concussion Protocol

Teddy Bridgewater will get first-team work in practice during the week, but starter uncertain for Week 17 game at New England

Coming off his worst performance of the 2022 season, things got worse for Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa when he was placed in the concussion protocol.

Head coach Mike McDaniel revealed the information during his weekly day-after-the-game media session Monday, indicated he found out earlier in the day after Tagovailoa exhibited some symptoms.

McDaniel said it wasn't clear when Tagovailoa was injured, but TV replays showed his head hitting the turf at Hard Rock Stadium late in the second quarter — on the play before Raheem Mostert's fumble — when he was brought to the ground after completing an 8-yard pass to tight end Durham Smythe.

This would seem to be the play on which Dolphins’ QB Tua Tagovailoa was injured, when his head bangs the ground. pic.twitter.com/zCQXadHm2r

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 26, 2022

DOLPHINS QB IN QUESTION FOR WEEK 17

McDaniel said it was too early to determine who will start at quarterback for the Dolphins when they face the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Week 17 next Sunday.

Veteran Teddy Bridgewater, who returned to the lineup Sunday after being inactive for four weeks because of a knee issue, will prepare as the starter during the week in the event that Tagovailoa can't play.

"That's one of the season you go and aggressively and pursue a player like Teddy Bridgewater," McDaniel said. "

Bridgewater has played in four games this season, though all were partial appearances.

He replaced Tua for two plays during the Week 3 game against Buffalo; replaced Tua late in the second quarter after his scary-looking concussion in the Thursday night game at Cincinnati; started against the Jets in Week 5 but was done after one play when he was pulled by the concussion spotter; and came in for Skylar Thompson in the second quarter of the Week 6 game against Minnesota.

Bridgewater put up good yardage in his two most extensive appearances, throwing for 193 yards against the Bengals and 329 yards against Minnesota — totals that would have topped 300 and 400 yards, respectively, projected over a full game.

TUA'S TOUGH YEAR WITH CONCUSSIONS

Bridgewater's game against the Jets was over because the spotter thought he detected "gross motor instability," which of course leaves to question why Tua wasn't pulled out of the game against the Packers when the head contact with the turf was much more significant than that of Bridgewater.

And we don't need to revisit what happened against Buffalo in Week 3 when Tua's head also made contact with the turf after being shoved by linebacker Matt Milano and he stumbled while walking back to the huddle, but returned to the game in the second half after the injury officially was designated as a back injury.

After what happened at Cincinnati, though, Tua's latest concussion-related episode will be handled very carefully.

“I just want guys to really be done right by the information we have, the science and all the medical expertise that we rely on," McDaniel said. "I care very deeply about each and every player. I take that seriously, so I just want him to get healthy and have peace of mind in that regard. That’s first and foremost, and then whatever the circumstances are after, you deal with after. It’s about the human being and making sure he’s squared away.”