Tua Tagovailoa‘s highly-anticipated return in Week 8 has been confirmed. The Dolphins quarterback has successfully cleared concussion protocol and is set to start against the Cardinals on Sunday, as reported by NFL.com’s Cameron Wolfe. Mike McDaniel has also verified the clearance.
Miami will be activating Tagovailoa from IR before the Saturday afternoon deadline. Despite his history of concussions, Tua has no plans to retire following his latest head injury in Week 2.
After consulting with doctors nationwide, Tagovailoa received positive news regarding his NFL future. None of the doctors recommended retirement, according to McDaniel. However, there are strict criteria for doctors to recommend retirement, as noted by ESPN.com’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson.
Following the NFL’s protocol, an independent neurologist has cleared Tagovailoa after Miami’s Thursday practice. Tua will make his return after missing the minimum four games, a significant absence considering teams rarely place players on IR due to concussions.
Tagovailoa, aged 26, has faced challenges due to his high profile and injury history. He suffered two confirmed concussions in 2022 with a possibility of a third, leading to the NFL revising its concussion protocol. Despite returning to action without missing time in 2023, his latest head injury has raised concerns about his future.
The Dolphins signed Tagovailoa to a four-year, $212.4MM extension in July, positioning him among the upper echelon of QB contracts. The team had hesitated to offer a deal in the range of Jared Goff and Trevor Lawrence, but with his recent clearance, retirement would deprive him of the significant earnings from his new contract.
This news is crucial for the Dolphins’ 2024 outlook, as their offense ranked 32nd after finishing second in scoring last season. The struggles with various backup QBs have hindered Miami’s offensive performance, leading to a 2-4 record.
To maintain their playoff hopes, the Dolphins must rally quickly, with Tagovailoa providing a boost. He will not use a Guardian Cap upon return, so protecting their key player will be a key focus for the team moving forward.
