MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa remained away from Miami Dolphins meetings on Thursday, yet another indicator that his latest concussion will keep him sidelined for this weekend’s trip to face the New England Patriots and possibly even longer.
Nobody knows when he’ll be back. Not even his brother.
Maryland quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa – speaking Thursday in advance of Friday’s Duke’s Mayo Bowl in Charlotte, North Carolina – told The Associated Press that he has offered his brother his opinion, but isn’t sure what will happen next.
“Everyone has their opinion,” Taulia Tagovailoa said. “My brother, I know he works hard. I know he has a family now. I want my brother to be safe, but at the same time I know that he has a love and a passion for football. I feel like he is going to make the right decision. The biggest thing is staying safe, so that is something he has to pray on. I know when it comes down to it, he will make the right decision.”
It’s not even clear when a decision will await the Dolphins’ quarterback, or what that may be. He’s in the NFL concussion protocol. Teddy Bridgewater is going through practices this week as the presumed starter for Miami against the Patriots.
Tua Tagovailoa sustained his second known concussion of the season in a Christmas Day loss to Green Bay. It remains unclear when exactly Tagovailoa got hurt; there is speculation that he was injured in the second quarter, with replays showing that the back of his head hit the turf with about 2:40 left until halftime. And hitting the back of his head has become an all-too-familiar, all-too-scary scene this season for Tagovailoa.
It happened on Sept. 25 when he briefly left a 21-19 win over the Buffalo Bills. He missed Miami’s last three snaps of the first half after hitting his head, getting up and wobbling for a few steps. The Dolphins originally announced that a head injury, but he was cleared to return to that game and later said a back injury was the bigger issue that day.
He was not formally diagnosed with a concussion from the Sept. 25 incident.
Four days later, he got hit again during a Thursday night game at Cincinnati and was taken off the field on a stretcher. As he lay on the turf, his fingers displayed what’s known as the “fencing response” that typically indicates a serious neurological issue. That time, he was placed in the concussion protocol, as some argued should have happened after the hit in the Buffalo game.
PATRIOTS: While Jack Jones (knee), Marcus Jones (concussion), and Jalen Mills (groin) missed practice once again Thursday, safety Adrian Phillips – likely New England’s best cover safety – was a new absence ahead of Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.
With Jonathan Jones still battling a chest injury, Myles Bryant and Shaun Wade are the only healthy cornerbacks on the active roster. If none of the absentees return, Wade could be in line to start at boundary corner, and he’s only played 18 defensive snaps this season and 29 in his career.
In addition to star wide receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, tight end Mark Gesicki can be a handful, too, and Phillips would likely see a healthy dose of him in coverage if healthy on Sunday.
Damien Harris (thigh) was also a new absence on offense, with Jonnu Smith (concussion), DeVante Parker (concussion) and Yodny Cajuste missing practice once again.
TITANS: Tennessee effectively ended veteran quarterback Ryan Tannehill’s season by placing him on injured reserve Thursday.
Tannehill last played Dec. 18 in a loss at the Chargers where he finished the game despite re-injuring his right ankle in the first quarter. The 11-year veteran was carted to the locker room where his ankle was taped up, and he returned to finish the game.
The Titans (7-8) already had declared Tannehill out Wednesday for Thursday night’s game with the Dallas Cowboys. For Tannehill to have a chance to play again this season, Tennessee will have to beat the Jaguars in Jacksonville in the regular-season finale for the AFC South title and advance to the divisional round.
Tennessee also placed linebackers Zach Cunningham (elbow) and Bud Dupree (pectoral muscle) on injured reserve .
BEARS: Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren has spoken to the Chicago Bears about the vacancy at the top of the organization and is a candidate to become the team’s next president and CEO, a person with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press on Thursday.
Warren’s resume includes multiple stops in the NFL and the Bears are searching for a president to replace the retiring Ted Phillips.
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