MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Tua Tagovailoa is out until at least Week 8 after the Miami Dolphins elected to put him on injured reserve due to his third concussion in 24 months.
But was the decision mutual? Was Tua on board with a move that ensured that no matter his progress in the coming weeks, he cannot play in the next four games?
Why Miami Dolphins Put Tua Tagovailoa on IR
“I don’t think he’s for a second second-guessing or [not] understanding the weight of [the situation],” Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday. “As a competitor, obviously, he loves and wants to play, but understanding how this is a process of health. I’ve learned a lot about various things in the science field, in the medical field, as a head coach, and being in this game for a while.
“Your responsibility to them is that you provide an environment that is absolutely best catered to maximizing them as human beings and football players and all of that. And I think the great thing about IR is, for a month’s time, there’s no timelines. And I always say that, but I’m not sure that people quite understand.
“Like, if you set a timeline based upon the information you have today, how much of whatever goes on is fulfilling the prophecy of that timeline? And is that the right thing? Especially with competitors and stuff, sometimes you can do more harm than good.
I think, regardless, not worrying about anything as it relates to timelines, is very empowering for him as a human being to recover from injury. And that’s steadfast, the only motivating factor that you have when you’re dealing with players and their careers and injuries.”
McDaniel said on Monday that the team didn’t have enough information to make an IR determination on Tua. So what changed in the next 24 hours?
“It’s more of an accumulation of different information,” he said. “Again, it’s not like we’re operating today and trying to make decisions on things that aren’t today. So I think that each and every day is a big deal of information. You take all that, and we are very transparent in our conversations.
“I don’t think anybody questions our intentionality. So you just make the decision that’s best and move forward. And I think we came to the conclusion in collaboration. And I think that’s what you have to do.”
While Tagovailoa won’t play for at least another five weeks, he intends to be as helpful to the Dolphins and his backup Skylar Thompson as his health and NFL rules allow.
McDaniel on Wednesday wouldn’t even rule out Tagovailoa traveling with the team to Seattle this week.
“He’s very active within the building, and I can guarantee that he is fully committed to the day and his team and is involving himself in every way that the rules allow and that the process allows, because the process is what you focus on. It’s not getting through it.
“And he’s very much focused on that because we’re all not trying to rush the process. As a matter of fact, we’re trying to do the process right, and that’s what our focus is. I have zero concerns about him. I mean, he is in it with his teammates. And sometimes, you know, that means being on the field. Sometimes that means meetings. Sometimes that means in the training room. Sometimes that means in the locker room. But he’s doing as a leader and a captain, you’d want them to do.”