MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa said he’s glad to be back after a long process to clear concussion protocols.
“It’s been a process,” he said on Wednesday during his first comments to reporters since his injury. “That’s for sure. Having to deal with interviews with the NFL, NFLPA, and then having to go and see doctors outside with second opinions. A lot of it has been stressful. But all of it’s done for player safety.”
Tagovailoa last played in a Sept. 29 loss at Cincinnati, when his head slammed to the turf and he suffered a concussion. He missed the next two games and the Dolphins fell to 3-3 after winning their first three.
Now that he’s cleared concussion protocols, Tagovailoa is expected to start against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.
Dolphins Coach Mike McDaniel said he wants Tagovailoa to be in his “normal mood” and as “locked in” as he always is.
“That’s what I’ve grown to love about the guy,” McDaniel said. “That’s why he’s been able to have some success in a completely new language and system. And that would be my expectation for this week because it is not the Tua Dolphins.”
Tagovailoa echoed a similar sentiment.
“I’ve just got to be myself,” he said. “I’m not the savior of this team. I don’t just come in and we start winning games. It’s a team deal.”
In that Thursday night game against Cincinnati, Tagovailoa took a hard hit from Bengals defensive tackle Josh Tupou and was slammed into the turf. Tagovailoa’s hands immediately froze with his fingers flexed awkwardly in front of his facemask for several seconds. He was stretchered off the field and taken to the hospital.
Tagovailoa said he remembers everything from that night up to the point he got tackled. He doesn’t remember being stretchered off the field, but has flashes of being in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
“I wouldn’t say it was scary for me at the time,” Tagovailoa said. “There was a point where I was unconscious, so I couldn’t really tell what was going on.”
PACKERS: Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers didn’t practice for a second straight Wednesday because of an injured right thumb, but said afterward that it’s feeling better. He hurt the thumb while getting hit before he could attempt a desperation pass on the final play of a 27-22 loss to the New York Giants in London on Oct. 9.
He said the thumb problem gave him grip issues at times Sunday when the Packers fell 27-10 to the New York Jets at Lambeau Field.
“I can deal with pain,” Rodgers said. “Pain management has been part of all of our careers. We just learn to deal with whatever you’ve got going on. And if you can be out there, you’re out there.”
The Packers open a three-game road swing Sunday at Washington (2-4).
STEELERS: Pittsburgh wide receiver Diontae Johnson says he and quarterback Mitch Trubisky are fine following a confrontation at halftime of a loss to the New York Jets earlier this month.
Johnson said Wednesday he has no ill will toward Trubisky, who was benched in favor of rookie Kenny Pickett against the Jets in what ended up a 24-20 loss to New York. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, citing anonymous sources, that Johnson challenged Trubisky to throw him the ball more. The newspaper reported Trubisky then got into an argument with Johnson.
“We’re both passionate about the game,” Johnson said. “Stuff happens during football. We’re fine. We talked about it. We made up over the whole situation. There are no hard feelings toward each other.”
Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin opted not to confirm or deny the report on Tuesday.
“If it transpired, good. It probably means there’s a couple of guys that wanted to win,” Tomlin said. “If it didn’t transpire, that probably means that it should have because we are aggressively pursuing victory.”
PANTHERS: Carolina is considering trading 2019 All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey if they get something significant in return, according to a person familiar with the situation.
It’s unclear how many teams have inquired about McCaffrey, who has been productive this season after missing 23 games over the previous two seasons with various injuries. The Panthers are 1-5 this season and have struggled to find stability at the quarterback position.
Earlier this week the Panthers traded Robbie Anderson to the Arizona Cardinals for two late-round draft picks after he was involved in a sideline argument with an assistant coach and sent to the locker room.
• P.J. Walker will make his second straight start at quarterback for Carolina on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Interim head coach Steve Wilks said Jacob Eason will serve as the backup. This is the first time in his NFL career that Walker has started consecutive games.
The news comes following Sam Darnold’s return to practice on Wednesday after being designated to return from injured reserve.
BRONCOS: Russell Wilson stepped up to the podium Wednesday without the noticeable limp he had after pulling a hamstring in the Broncos’ 19-16 overtime loss to the Chargers less than 48 hours earlier and declared himself a quick healer.
“It’s feeling better every day,” Wilson said. “Day by day. Obviously it happened Monday night, but I heal quick. I don’t know if it’s Wolverine’s blood or what. But I feel better.”
The Broncos (2-4) will try to snap a three-game skid Sunday when they host the surging New York Jets (4-2). Asked if he expects to play, Wilson said, “I’m hoping so. I’m doing everything I can to get ready to roll. So, that’s always my mentality.”
The only games Wilson has missed in his 11 NFL seasons came during his final season in Seattle last year when he sat out three games with a broken finger.
“If I can go, I’ll go,” Wilson said.
BROWNS: Pro Bowl right guard Wyatt Teller is expected to miss Sunday’s game in Baltimore with a left calf strain, an injury that could slow the NFL’s leading rushing attack as Cleveland tries to snap a three-game losing streak.
Teller got hurt in the first quarter of last week’s 38-15 loss to New England. During the open locker room period Wednesday, Teller was in a walking boot and said he would sit out this week.
CHARLEY TRIPPI, a Pro Football Hall of Famer and runner-up for the Heisman Trophy at Georgia who went on to lead the Cardinals to their most recent NFL championship in 1947, died Wednesday. He was 100.
The University of Georgia announced that Trippi died peacefully at his Athens home.
Trippi was one of football’s most versatile players, lining up at multiple positions on offense, defense and special teams. He is the only member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame to have 1,000 yards rushing, receiving and passing in his career.
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