Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel confirmed Wednesday that Tua Tagovailoa remains in concussion protocol but will stay around the squad “as long as it doesn’t adversely affect him.”
The quarterback will not play against the Jets this weekend, but the announcement was made by McDaniel on Monday. The game is not until Sunday, and during Wednesday’s presser, he rejected the idea that optics played any role in announcing Tagovailoa’s status so early.
“My job should start and end with what’s the best thing for the team and everyone involved,” he said.
The 39-year-old coach and franchise have faced increased scrutiny and outside noise following the quarterback’s recent bout of injuries.
Tagovailoa briefly left Miami’s Week 3 matchup against Buffalo when he took a hard hit in the second quarter. The quarterback’s head appeared to hit the ground, and he stumbled shortly after getting back on his feet. However, he cleared concussion protocol and returned to the game, later saying he suffered a back injury.
The NFLPA launched an investigation into the matter, and according to multiple reports, Tagovailoa was expected to speak with both the league and players association Tuesday as part of the investigation. The players association also recently fired the unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant who was involved in his evaluation after it was found the doctor made “several mistakes,” a source told ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques.
However, the outside noise increased following last week’s Thursday Night Football matchup. Four days after his injury vs. the Bills, Tagovailoa suffered another against the Bengals. The quarterback hit the ground hard on a sack and was taken to the hospital but was discharged later that night, flying home with the team.
His timeline to return to the field is unknown. Meanwhile, the league and NFL players association agreed to modify the rules surrounding the NFL’s concussion protocol.
McDaniel addressed the outside noise during Wednesday’s press conference when asked if it’s harder to ignore when his character is being called into question. He said it’s the opposite, comparing it to if the noise was coming from within the franchise about his integrity and character.
As eyes remain on the Miami franchise, McDaniel has remained firm about prioritizing the person. He said on Tagovailoa remaining in concussion protocol, “it’s all about the only thing it’s about and that’s the health of the human being.”
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