MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is taking a major step on Wednesday in his recovery through the NFL’s concussion protocol.
He is set to return to the practice field to begin throwing at team practice, according to coach Mike McDaniel.
Tagovailoa, who is recovering from a concussion sustained in the Sept. 29 loss at the Cincinnati Bengals, had not yet returned to any football-related activity when McDaniel last updated his progress on Monday. Taking that step means Tagovailoa has now reached Phase 3 of the concussion protocol’s five-step process.
“What I’ve been told is he can go out and throw and do some individual work this week — or [Wednesday],” McDaniel said. “That’s exciting for everybody just because, really, we just miss his personality. He’s a guy that we rely on, not to mention all of his play.”
Although he can be cleared in time to play in Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, he is still unlikely to progress through the five steps that quickly.
“I don’t see him being active, and I do not plan to have him play,” McDaniel said. “It’s something that this whole process is a little tricky, and [Wednesday], he’s just getting back to playing football for the first time in two weeks. He hasn’t been on a field playing football in two weeks.”
The Sept. 23 Sunday night game against the Pittsburgh Steelers is a real possibility, but McDaniel was noncommittal on having Tagovailoa ready to go by then.
Although backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who was ruled out early in last Sunday’s loss at the New York Jets due to a blow to the head that did not result in a concussion, can return to practice as early as Thursday and can be cleared for Sunday’s game, McDaniel expects rookie third-stringer Skylar Thompson to start.
If Bridgewater is cleared to play against the Vikings, McDaniel said he expects to keep him on the sideline as Thompson’s backup after Thompson gets the full week’s worth of work with starting quarterback reps in practice.
“[Thursday, Bridgewater] will be able to do a little bit of football in a limited capacity,” McDaniel said, “and as a result, we’ll be moving forward with planning on starting Skylar Thompson this week.”
Bridgewater, despite not sustaining a concussion on Sunday, is in concussion protocol this week due to the NFL and Players Association’s enhanced protocol emphasizing ataxia in Saturday’s revision to protocol sparked by Tagovailoa’s clearance in the Sept. 25 win over the Buffalo Bills. Bridgewater has to go through the five-step return-to-action process the same as if he had a concussion.
“Teddy is currently progressing through the protocol. He feels good,” McDaniel said. “In this stage of the protocol, he is unable to do anything football-related with his team.”
McDaniel said Bridgewater won’t be practicing with the rest of the team. He’ll be on the side working with trainers. He added that Bridgewater’s soreness in his pectoral muscle is getting better.
