Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa passed the NFL’s concussion protocol on Friday, setting the stage for his return to the field on Sunday against Arizona, coach Mike McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa, nagged by concussions throughout his career, suffered his latest on September 12 against Buffalo and has missed four games since but is prepared to be reactivated to face the Cardinals.
“After going through the process and having a practice where we were able to initiate some contact with him, then he met with an independent doctor and was fully cleared. He was out of the protocol,” McDaniel said.
Tagovailoa put in a full work regimen in Thursday’s practice.
“He has done an outstanding job of not doing anything but controlling what he can control,” McDaniel said regarding his star passer’s comeback.
“He has put his best foot forward to take care of himself as well as to be the leader of this football team, just in a different way. In all of that, he has been fully engaged, but he’s also become very aware he’s not interested in becoming a coach anytime soon, that his love is playing football.
“He’s eager as everybody is. If you had any questions about how valuable he is, I think it’s pretty obvious.”
Without Tagovailoa, the Dolphins have gone 1-3 and averaged only 10 points a game. Miami’s scoring of 11.7 points a game ranks last in the NFL and would be a club-record low after ranking second in the NFL at 29.2 points a game last season.
“It will be a big deal considering he’s the captain and leader of this franchise,” McDaniel said of Tagovailoa’s return. “He had tremendous growth each year, particularly this year, in terms of that and being a leader and what that means and growing into that.”
Injuries have hit two of three of Tagovailoa’s replacements, prompting the Dolphins to sign veteran C.J. Beathard to the practice squad.
In practice, Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill was moved by connecting with Tagovailoa on passes once again.
“He looked great. Felt like old times, me and him connected on a few deep shots and that kind of got me feeling good,” Hill said.
“Almost made me cry just having him in the lineup, having him call the plays, having him direct the offense, like just hearing his voice.”