MIAMI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa will undergo further testing today after receiving a concussion in the third quarter of Thursday night’s loss to the Buffalo Bills.
The former Alabama signal-caller has a history of concussions, having been sidelined twice before.
Tagovailoa, with Miami trailing by the 31-10 final score, lowered his head and hit the right arm of Bills safety Damar Hamlin with 4:24 to in the third quarter on a 6-yard scramble to the Buffalo 7-yard line.
Tagovailoa, 26, struggled to immediately get up, with his arm contorted in alarming fashion. He was attended to on the field, including Head Coach Mike McDaniel running onto the field, and then walked off under his own power and to the locker room, according to nfl.com.
McDaniel, who spoke with Tagovailoa on the field and in the locker room, said his quarterback was “in good spirits.”
“My thought was concern,” McDaniel of his initial reaction to Tagovailoa’s injury. “I was just worried about my guy. Not something you ever want to be a part of, you hope not to.”
McDaniel said Tagovailoa’s return to the field was not a paramount concern.
“The furthest thing from my mind is what is the timeline,” McDaniel said. “We just need to evaluate and just worry about my teammate, like the rest of the guys are. We will get more information tomorrow and take it day by day from there.”
Last season, where he trained to avoid head injuries, in luding learning jiu jitsu to learn how to fall better, Tagovailoa threw for 4,624 yards, 29 touchdowns and 14 interceptions as he led Miami to a second straight postseason, nfl.com said. In the offseason, the 2020 NFL Draft’s No. 5 overall pick secured his first extension, inking a four-year, $212.4 million extension.
Two games into his first season after signing a long-term pact, Tagovailoa’s health is once again a major concern, for this season and those ahead.
“I’m just worried about the human being, and he’ll drive the ship when we get the appropriate information,” McDaniel said. “but it’s day-by-day health.”
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