Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa ruled out for second straight week, returns to practice field: reports

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will return to practice in a limited capacity on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after suffering a concussion against the Cincinnati Bengals on “Thursday Night Football.” 

Tagovailoa will throw and participate in individual drills at practice as part of getting through the concussion protocol, according to reports. 

Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel told reporters that Tagovailoa will not play in Miami’s game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. 

TUA TAGOVAILOA CONCUSSION INVESTIGATION CONCLUDES, NFL AND NFLPA RELEASE FINDINGS

“I don’t see him being active,” McDaniel said, according to NFL Network. “I can say with certainty that he’s not going to play this week.”

Rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson will start in Week 6 after filing in for backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who is also in concussion protocol after being injured against the New York Jets. 

Thompson entered the game against the Jets on Miami’s first drive and finished the game 19-33 for 166 yards and a touchdown. 

Tagovailoa’s scary head injury has led to increased conversations around the handling of concussions by the NFL. 

The head injury against the Bengals came just four days after Tagovailoa stumbled after a hit in Miami’s game against the Buffalo Bills in Week 3. He was taken into the locker room and later returned to the game against the Bills after passing a concussion evaluation. 

“We just miss his personality. He’s a guy that we rely on,” McDaniel said, according to ESPN.

Prior to the start of the NFL’s games for Week 5, the league and the NFLPA implemented new concussion protocols.

The main change to the concussion protocol is that any player experiencing ataxia — “abnormality of balance/stability, motor coordination or dysfunctional speech caused by a neurological issue” — may not return to the game.

The Dolphins have lost two straight games after starting the season 3-0. 

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.