Hours before the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills kicked off their wild-card matchup, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Mike McDaniel’s team is expected to go into 2023 with Tua Tagovailoa as the starting quarterback.
The Dolphins were defeated on Sunday, without Tagovailoa under center, as he remains in concussion protocol, leaving Skylar Thompson to lead the offense.
Thompson’s lack of experience made it quite evident how much Tagovailoa was missed on the field, as the former first-round pick had been an MVP candidate for much of the season.
After the contest, McDaniel was asked about Tagovailoa and Schefter’s report, and he continued to support his quarterback just as he’s done from the second he was brought in.
Mike McDaniel: We all see Tua as the leader of this team. He’s a great young player. I spent 6 months trying to convince people he’s good. This is a challenging time for him. His health is of primary importance. I’d be a fool to not embrace him when he’s healthy and ready to go.
— Joe Schad (@schadjoe) January 15, 2023
Obviously, Tagovailoa’s concussion history is extremely serious, as he sustained at least two confirmed concussions this season, so the quarterback will have to think long and hard about his future in the game.
However, it appears that if he’s ready to go, Miami will be ready to welcome him back as the starter with open arms.
