Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was cleared of concussion protocol on Saturday, a source said, but he will not play against the Minnesota Vikings this week.
Tagovailoa is expected to return for the Dolphins’ Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, a source said.
Tagovailoa has not played since leaving the field on a stretcher after suffering a concussion in Week 4 when he was knocked to the ground and slammed his head on the turf. That tackle was similar to that of a week before, after which Tagovailoa appeared unsteady on his feet, but was allowed to return to the game after a concussion test.
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After Tagovailoa suffered the concussion in Week 4, the quarterback, his team of independent doctors and the Dolphins went through a thorough process that far exceeded the NFL’s concussion protocol, sources said. He received four outside opinions, in addition to the opinions of team doctors, who unanimously removed him from the protocol, and they all agreed that his scans showed no signs of long-term impact on the brain. This is the best-case scenario for the quarterback who started the 2022 season impressively.
Dolphin coach Mike McDaniel shut down Tagovailoa on Wednesday, saying he didn’t feel comfortable making him active after two weeks without any football activity.
Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was also cleared of concussion protocol on Saturday, sources said. He will be active on Sunday but will back up rookie Skylar Thompson, a seventh round draft pick who will make his first career start.
Thompson completed 16 of 33 passes for 166 yards and an interception in relief from Bridgewater against the New York Jets last week, but his first NFL play of his career included returning to the sidelines without a teammate playing his position on him. waited.
With Bridgewater expected to be his backup on Sunday and Tagovailoa roaming the sidelines, Thompson’s first start should have a different feel.
“They’ve helped me a lot,” Thompson said. “Whether they’ve spoken to me vocally to teach me something or something, they’ve taught me a tremendous amount through their actions and the way they behave, the way they prepare. I’m very grateful to those guys. “
ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques contributed to this report.