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CNN
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Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers, head coach Mike McDaniel said Wednesday.
McDaniel told reporters Tagovailoa’s status for Sunday’s game at the New England Patriots was uncertain and the team was moving forward with Teddy Bridgewater as the starter.
The 24-year-old Tagovailoa, who was diagnosed with his second concussion of the season, is improving and will be at the team’s practice facility on Wednesday, McDaniel said.
“He’s better than he was yesterday,” said McDaniel. “More than that, as he told me, it feels strange to extrapolate beyond the good.”
McDaniel announced Monday that Tagovailoa was in concussion protocol, a day after the quarterback played the entire game against the Packers.
It was the second time this season that the quarterback has participated in the Concussion Protocol, the league’s policy regarding the evaluation and care of players with concussions.
McDaniel on Wednesday said he and other coaches had “a few questions” about Tagovailoa’s health when he and other coaches reviewed the game’s film on Monday.
Tagovailoa got off to a good start by throwing for 229 yards and scoring a touchdown in the first half. In the second half, it was a different story when Tagovailoa threw an interception on his third straight drive to end his 26–20 loss for the team.
“There were some things that really pissed us off,” McDaniel told reporters Wednesday. “As a result, we felt he needed to see a medical professional. ”
An NFL spokesperson said Wednesday that the league and the NFL Players Association are considering “applying concussion protocols” in Tagovailoa’s latest case.
The NFL’s Brian McCarthy said: “We welcome that review and, as before, will report the results in conjunction with the NFLPA.
Tagovailoa was diagnosed with a concussion on Sept. 29 after being sacked against the Cincinnati Bengals. Tagovailoa lay motionless on the field for several minutes before being put on a backboard and stretcher. He missed the team’s next two games.
That concussion came days after Tagovailoa suffered an apparent head injury, after which he was allowed to continue playing in a game against the Buffalo Bills on September 25.
Despite assurances that it was in fact a back injury, the NFLPA began reviewing its handling of the case, and the union and the NFL have since agreed to update the concussion protocol.
McDaniel on Wednesday was not committed to closing Tagovailoa this season, even if he was allowed to play again.
“I will do what my medical professionals advise me to do, and I am confident they will not advise me in the wrong direction when it comes to his health,” McDaniel said.
“I’m not going to go head-to-head with what the doctor told me to worry about day by day. …His health comes first and is his only priority.”
The Dolphins, who have qualified for the playoffs with an 8-7 record, will end the season with the Patriots on January 8 against the New York Jets.
