Mike McDaniel is not worried about when Tua Tagovailoa returns to the football field.
The Dolphins coach said he has “zero idea” when Tagovailoa will play again after the quarterback suffered his third known concussion in the Dolphins’ 31-10 loss to the Bills on Thursday night.
“The best thing I can do is not even assess this from a football standpoint…,” McDaniel told reporters in his Friday morning press conference.
“What it means is to properly prioritize what’s most important, I have to put his health as primary (concern) … I absolutely, positively will not do anything to make it worse or hurt one of our players…. This is heavy stuff. You have to be diligent and deliberate in coaching up. ’Tua, hey, your job is to be a dad and to communicate daily assessments with experts.’ That is the only thing that matters. You don’t make matters worse.”
Tagovailoa’s reaction to the injury — and making a fencing motion with his hands — concerned doctors, as that often signals a lost of consciousness.
McDaniel said he had not had a chance to speak to Tagovailoa, who was still sleeping when the press conference started.
“The absolute most important opinion, person in this equation is Tua,” McDaniel said. “What he wants to do with his life and his career, coupled with the experts in neuroscience, those are the driving forces behind those actions. I am not hiding anything.
“I am being as transparent as I absolutely can. I have zero idea what any sort of timeline is and I am extremely motivated to be in the gray and be extremely motivated to do right by the person we are talking about. That’s not an ideal way to do business necessarily, but this more than business. We have to operate in the unknown and be prepared for every situation … I am not going to rush to judgement way prematurely.”
Tua Tagovailoa concussion fallout
- Dolphins QB suffers third diagnosed concussion on Sept. 12, 2024 vs. Bills
- Former NFL stars call for Tagovailoa to retire
- Why fencing position has medical experts concerned
- Miami teammates crushed by concussion diagnosis
McDaniel said he would be surprised if Tagovailoa played in the Dolphins’ next game against the Seahawks on Sept. 22.
Skylar Thompson relieved Tagovailoa and is expected to be the Dolphins starter for as long as the former Alabama star is sidelined.
It is the second “Thursday Night Football” game that involved a traumatizing Tagovailoa concussion.
In a Sept. 29, 2022 game against the Bengals, Tagovailoa had to be stretchered off the field after being slammed against the turf in Cincinnati.
NFL greats called out on social media for Tagovailoa to consider retirement as the frightening scene unfolded after the quarterback’s collision with Bills safety Damar Hamlin in the third quarter.
“I think it’d be so wrong of me to even sniff that subject,” McDaniel, who kissed Tagovailoa as he walked off the field Thursday night, said when asked if he thought Tagovailoa would retire.
“It’s more in line with actually caring about the human being. You’re talking about his career … I totally get that’s where people want to go to, but I wish people would hear what I am saying, bringing up his future is not in the best interest of him. I am going to plead with everybody that does genuinely care that should be the last thing on your mind.”
